Fruit Mille Feuille (French Puff Pastry) with Mascarpone Cream and Raspberry Sauce

Nothing screams summer more to me than fresh fruit desserts! This one is complete heaven too. You're welcome to make this in parts, since it can be a little time consuming, depending on your puff pastry and fruit prep. On average, I'd say the longest I've needed was an hour, and that was mostly due to waiting for items to get to the right temperature. This is what you'll need to make 6 servings:

Photo byTatyana

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup large granulated sugar

For Raspberry Sauce:

• 2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar

For Mascarpone Cream:

• 8 oz mascarpone or cream cheese*
• 1 tsp vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, well-chilled

For Dessert:

• 3 cups mixed fruit and berries (raspberries, strawberries, nectarines, blueberries, mango, blackberries, cherries, golden kiwi, peaches, etc.)

Thawing the Pastry:

To start making this fruit mille feuille, begin with the puff pastry. It's best to thaw frozen puff pastry by transferring it from the freezer to the refrigerator a day or two in advance to let it thaw slowly. However, if you're pressed for time, you can let the puff pastry stand at room temperature for a few hours to thaw.

Once thawed, return the pastry to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This step is crucial because the dough needs to be well-chilled when working with it to ensure optimal puff and texture during baking.

Prepping & Baking the Pastry:

Preheat your oven to 400°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set aside.

Remove your puff pastry from the refrigerator and gently unfold it onto an unfloured work surface. Using a long knife, score the dough into equal-sized squares; aim for 12 pieces from 1 sheet, or adjust as desired. Then, use a pastry cutter to cut the dough along the scored lines.

Gently transfer the pastry squares to your prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 1 inch apart.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk the egg until smooth. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat each square with the egg wash, then sprinkle with large granulated sugar. Pierce the dough all over with a fork to prevent excessive puffing.

Bake the puff pastry for about 15 minutes, or until they turn golden brown and puffed. Once done, remove from the oven and allow the pastries to cool completely on a wire rack before assembling your mille feuille.

Making the Raspberry Sauce:

To make the raspberry sauce, place the fresh or frozen raspberries and sugar into a medium saucepan.

Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once it reaches a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 6 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to a jam-like consistency.

If you prefer a smoother sauce, strain out the seeds using a fine mesh sieve. Once strained, cover the sauce and place it in the refrigerator to cool completely before using.

Making the Mascarpone Cream:

Take the cold mascarpone or cream cheese and place it into a medium mixing bowl. Add the vanilla extract, salt, and confectioner's sugar.

Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat for about 1 to 2 minutes until smooth.

In a separate large mixing bowl, add the chilled heavy cream. Begin whisking on slow speed, gradually increasing to high speed. Whisk until stiff peaks form, which should take about 6 to 8 minutes. Be careful not to overmix, as the cream can turn runny if overbeaten.

Once the whipped cream is ready, gently fold in the mascarpone or cream cheese mixture until fully incorporated. Cover the bowl and return the filling to the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the dessert.

Assembling the Dessert:

This mille-feuille can be served either single- or double-stacked, depending on your preference. To begin, pair the puff pastry squares by size to ensure an even stack if you choose to double them.

Transfer the prepared mascarpone whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a generous amount of the cream onto each pastry square, creating an even layer.

Next, top the cream with a colorful mix of fresh fruit and berries. A variety of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and kiwi work well, but you can use any fruit you prefer.

Drizzle a few spoonfuls of the prepared raspberry sauce over the fruit for added flavor and a pop of color.

If you're making double-stacked mille-feuille, gently place another puff pastry square on top of the fruit and repeat the process with more cream, fruit, and sauce.

Serve immediately and enjoy your beautiful, layered dessert!

Serving/Storing:

This fruit mille-feuille dessert is best enjoyed fresh, but if you need to store it for later, follow these steps:

• Place the assembled mille-feuille into a deep plastic, glass, or aluminum container.
• Cover the container tightly with plastic wrap to keep the dessert fresh.
• Refrigerate for up to 1 day.

If you want to make it ahead of time, here are some tips:

• Puff pastry squares: Bake them up to two days in advance. Once cooled completely, store at room temperature in a sealed bag to keep them crisp.
• Frosting: You can prepare the mascarpone filling ahead of time and store it in the fridge. Before using, re-whisk it briefly to restore its fluffy texture, then pipe as needed.

This way, you can assemble the dessert just before serving for maximum freshness and flavor!

Notes:

Mascarpone can be tricky to work with, especially dependingon the brand used. If you choose to use mascarpone, I would recommend a quality brand and do not over mix with the whipped cream.