Ingredients

Method

• 500 g Woolworths all-butter puff pastry
• flour, for dusting
• caster sugar, for sprinkling
• icing sugar, sifted, for dusting
For the crème patissiere:
• 2 cups full-cream milk
• 1 shot espresso
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 4 free-range egg yolks
• 100 g caster sugar
• 3 T cornflour
• ½ t fine salt
• lemon juice, to taste

Method

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the pastry on a work surface lightly dusted with flour. Cut the pastry into 12 even rectangles.

2. Line a large baking tray with baking paper and gently place the pastry on the tray. Sprinkle the pastry lightly with caster sugar and cover with another sheet of baking paper. Place another baking tray on top of the pastry so that it does not rise too high. Bake for 20–30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.

3. To make the crème patissiere, bring the milk and espresso to a simmer in a saucepan. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients except the lemon juice until pale and fluffy. Slowly stream the milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking.

4. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over a low heat until very thick, whisking continually. Add the lemon juice, place a sheet of clingwrap directly onto the surface and allow to cool.

5. To assemble, fill a piping bag with the crème patissiere and pipe onto the puff pastry, sandwiching them together, three layers each. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Find more pastry recipes here

Photographs: Jan Ras
Food Assistant: Cheri Kustner