Enjoy all the flavors and textures of mille-feuille without all the stress of perfection.
This caramel apple mille-fueille is rich, sweet with hints of cinnamon.
It is the perfect fall or holiday dessert!
Mille feuille, sometimes written as millefeuille, is pronounced meel-foy. This name translates into a thousand sheets, an homage to the three sheets of flaky puff pastry in this desert.
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What is Mille Feuille?
Mille-feuille is a classic French dessert known for its layers of flaky puff pastry. In between the layers is a vanilla pastry cream. The top is then decorated into a web design using icing fondant and chocolate. It is common to see modern variations that include fruit, curds, and even meringue.
While French mille-feuille is a classic, I am putting an American spin on it and making a caramel apple version. I am also deconstructing this dessert so that it is easier to make. The deconstruction has all the flavor and texture of a traditional mille feuille without the pressure of precision piping.
Suggested Baking Order and Assembly
For best results, I recommend cooking the curd and the caramel in advance. Below is a breakdown of the components and how far in advance they can be prepared.
Mille Fueille Components
- Make the curd 1 - 5 days in advance
- Make the caramel 1 - 5 days in advance
- Bake the puff pastry the day off
- While the puff pastry is in the oven, make the whipped cream
- Allow the puff pastry to fully cool before assembling
Mille Fueille Assembly
For best results, assemble right before serving. Here is the recommended order
- Cut the pastry into the correct shape to fit the glassware
- Using the microwave, heat the caramel in 15-second bursts
- First layer - Pastry, caramel, whipped cream
- Second layer - Pastry, apple curd, whipped cream
- Third layer - Pastry, whipped cream
- Spead the caramel and apple curd evenly. This will help create distinct layers.
Substitutions and Alternatives
You have the option to make all the ingredients from scratch or purchase pre-made ingredients.
- Pastry - I recommend using Pepperidge Farm pastry sheets. They are consistent in quality, flaky, and easy to work with. Pepperidge farm is my favorite pastry shortcut.
- Caramel - I love homemade caramel so much it was one of my first posts. On the other hand, I also understand why people prefer to purchase it at the store. Either one will work great with this dessert. If the caramel is stiff, microwave it in 15-second bursts until desired softness.
- Apple Curd - The recipe is below or if you want more detail on how to make apple curd, check out my post. If you are looking for a store-bought apple curd, you might be able to find it at a specialty store.
- Whipped Cream - You can buy a canned version at the store. However, if possible, I recommend making whipped cream at home. The cream takes just a few minutes to whip and the flavor is so much better!
Storage
There are four different components of this deconstructed mille-feuille, and each component has a separate storage life. For best results, assemble the mille-feuille no more than four hours in advance.
- Pastry - Puff pastry is always the best on the same day it is baked. If you need to make this in advance, I recommend baking it no more then one day prior to keep as much of the flaky texture as possible. Once baked, store in an air-tight container.
- Caramel - Store caramel in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one month. Before using the caramel, heat it up in the microwave in 15-second bursts to soften it up.
- Apple Curd - If making the curd in advance, store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Apple curd can be stored this way for up to two weeks.
- Whipped Cream - You can buy store-bought whipped cream. however, I recommend making whipped cream at home. The cream takes just a few minutes to whip and the flavor is so much better!
Great British Baking Show Bake
Season 2, Episode 8, Signature Bake - Mille Feuille
This bake is a Great British Baking Show bake. It's been a minute since I made a GBBO bake. It felt good to be back in the saddle and focused on my challenge.
GBBO Count: 27 down, 253 to go!
Recipe
Caramel Apple Mille Feuille Deconstructed
Enjoy all the flavors and textures of mille feulle without all the stress of pipping. This dessert is rich, sweet with hints of cinnamon. It is the perfect fall or holiday dessert!
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Servings: 12 people
Prep Time: 1 hr
Cook Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins
Equipment
- Heat resistant spatula or whisk (caramel and apple curd)
- Medium heavy saucepan with lid (caramel and apple curd)
- Two baking sheets (pastry)
- Parchment Paper (pastry)
- Hand mixer (whipped cream)
- Stick blender or masher (apple curd)
- Double boiler or equivalent (apple curd)
Ingredients
Pasty - 30 minute bake time/ 20 minute cool time
- 2 packages frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted (14g)
- 1 tablespoon sugar (12g)
Salted Caramel - 15 minute cook time/2 hour cool time
- 1 cup sugar (200g)
- 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature, cut into 6 pieces (84g)
- ½ cup heavy cream, at room temperature (119g)
- 1 teaspoon salt (6g)
Apple Curd - 15 minute cook time/2 hour cool time
- 1 ½ cup apples peeled, cored, and cut into small pieces (188g)
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons water (30ml)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 ½ cup brown sugar (330g)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (2g)
- 8 tablespoons butter (112g)
Whipped Cream - 5 minute cook time
- 1 cup whipping cream (238g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4g)
- 1 tablespoon powdered (confectioners) sugar (8g)
Instructions
Pastry - 30 minute bake time/ 20 minute cool time
- Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly flour the parchement paper that is on the baking sheet.
- Pastry: Roll the puff pastry out on the parchment paper. Evenly spread butter across the surface of the dough. Sprinkle sugar evenly across the dough. Cover puff pastry with another layer of parchement paper. Place a second baking sheet on top of the parchment paper to weigh down the pastry.
- Bake: Place the puff pastry in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the pastry and the top baking sheet. Let the pastry cool. Cut the pastry to fit into the desired serving glass/dish.
Caramel - 15 minute cook time/2 hour cool time
- Cook Sugar: Heat sugar in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula or whisk. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a liquid as you continue to stir. This step can take a while. Don't give up, the sugar will eventully desolve. Also, be careful not splash sugar on the sides of the pot and not to burn the sugar.
- Add Butter: Once sugar is completely melted into a liquid, stir in the butter until fully combined with the disovled sugar. *Use caution here because the caramel will bubble up intensely. Don't worry, it will go back down quickly. If the butter start s to separate or clumps, remove saucepan from heat and vigorously whisk to combine it again. The caramel will come back together.
- Cook: After the butter has melted and combined with the sugar, cook for 1 minute the lid on and without stirring.
- Add Cream: Very slowly stir in ½ cup of heavy cream. The caramel will bubble rapidly, this is normal when adding cream to hot caramel. After all the heavy cream has been added, stop stirring and allow to boil for 1 minute. The caramel will rise and fall.
- Add Salt: Remove caramel from heat and stir in the salt. The caramel will thicken as it cools. If the caramel is too thick to pour into the jars, warm it up in the microwave in 15 second bursts
Apple Curd - 15 minute cook time/2 hour cool time
- Apple Prep: Place the apples and lemon juice in a medium saucepan with two tablespoons of water. On low to medium heat, cook with the lid on until the apples are very soft. About 15-20 minutes. Using a stick blender or a masher, puree the apples to a consistent texture.
- Curd: Using a double boiler, fill the bottom pan with 1 - 2 inches of water. Place on high heat until the water begins to boil, then turn the heat to low and keep the water simmering. Place egg, brown sugar, and cinnamon in the top pot of the double boiler. Whisk continuously to avoid curdling. Add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring each tablespoon until fully blended before adding another tablespoon. Continue stirring for 8 - 10 minutes. If you prefer a thicker curd, continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
- Finger Test: You will know the curd is done when you can dip a spatula in the curd, then draw your finger across the back leaving a path.
- Setting the Curd: Lay a piece of plastic/cling wrap over the top and press it gently onto the surface. This will prevent a skin from forming on the top. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours.
- Optional: For a smooth texture, pass the curd through a fine mess sieve.
Whipped Cream - Whipped Cream - 5 minute cook time
- Using a hand mixer, whip the cream until you see trails in the cream. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar. Continue to mix until stiff peaks form
Assembly
- Cut the pastry into the correct shape to fit the glassewarUsing the microwave, heat the caramel in 15 second bursts.
- First layer - Pastry, caramel, whipped cream
- Second layer - Pastry, apple curd, whipped cream
- Third layer - Pastry, whipped cream.
- Note: Spead the caramel and apple curd evenly. This will help create distinct layers.
Notes
- Due to the richness of this dessert, I highly recommend serving it in small portions. No more than 4 ounces if possible. (The 4 oz jelly mason jars in the picture worked perfectly!)
- Due to the caramel hardening, I recommend assembling this no more than 4 hours in advance.
- If you run out of pastry, you can pack the scrapes into place to create layers.
- For the recommended order of making this, serving it, and storing see the blog.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Caramel Apple Mille Feuille Deconstructed
Amount Per Serving (4 oz)
Calories 878
Calories from Fat 513
% Daily Value*
Fat 57g88%
Saturated Fat 24g150%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g
Monounsaturated Fat 25g
Cholesterol 109mg36%
Sodium 554mg24%
Potassium 155mg4%
Carbohydrates 86g29%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 48g53%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 931IU19%
Vitamin C 6mg7%
Calcium 65mg7%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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