Strawberry and Tarragon Mille-Feuille

Ingredients

• all-butter puff pastry (store-bought or homemade)500g
• powdered sugar, for dusting60g
• whole milk250g
• heavy cream (35%)100g
• fresh tarragon sprigs8g
• egg yolks3
• caster sugar60g
• cornstarch20g
• butter, cold, cubed30g
• heavy cream (35%), cold, for whipping150g
• powdered sugar (for cream)15g
• fresh strawberries350g
• lemon juice10g
• caster sugar (for strawberries)20g

Method

1. 1.Steep milk, 100g cream, and tarragon together over low heat for 20 minutes. Strain, discard tarragon.
2. 2.Whisk yolks, 60g sugar, and cornstarch until pale. Pour warm tarragon milk over, whisk to combine.
3. 3.Return to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the pastry cream (crème pâtissière) thickens and bubbles.
4. 4.Off heat, whisk in cold butter. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and chill at least 2 hours.
5. 5.Roll puff pastry to 3mm thick. Dock all over with a fork. Rest in freezer 15 minutes.
6. 6.Bake at 200°C on a parchment-lined tray weighted with another tray for 18 minutes. Remove top tray.
7. 7.Dust pastry generously with powdered sugar. Return to 220°C and bake 4–5 minutes until deeply caramelized and lacquered. Cool completely.
8. 8.Trim pastry into three even rectangles of equal size. Reserve the neatest for the top.
9. 9.Whip cold 150g cream with 15g powdered sugar to soft peaks. Fold into chilled pastry cream until smooth.
10. 10.Hull and halve strawberries. Toss with lemon juice and 20g sugar; let macerate 10 minutes, then drain well.
11. 11.Pipe or spread half the cream onto the first pastry layer. Arrange strawberries in a single layer.
12. 12.Add second pastry layer, press gently. Repeat with remaining cream and strawberries.
13. 13.Set final caramelized layer on top, caramel side up. Dust lightly with powdered sugar and serve within 1 hour.