As part of our coffee-flavoured recipe series, allow us to present to you an incredible Mille-Feuille with Espresso Crème Pâtissière and Berries. Plus, we’ll give you all the tips and tricks needed to create a Ginspresso Martini!
Mille-feuille with espresso crème pâtissière and berries
Serves 4
Prep and cook time 1 hr (plus cooling, chilling)
Ingredients
375 gm ready-rolled butter puff pastry
Icing sugar, for dusting
Raspberries, blueberries and edible flowers, to serve
Espresso crème pâtissière
400 ml milk
60 ml (¼ cup) espresso
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
5 egg yolks
100 gm caster sugar
30 gm cornflour
40 gm salted butter, cubed
Method
1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
2. To make espresso crème pâtissière, heat milk, espresso and vanilla bean paste in a saucepan over medium heat until just below simmering point. In a separate large bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour until slightly thickened, pale and well combined. Gradually whisk the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture until combined. Return mixture to a clean saucepan and whisk continuously over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat, whisk in butter one cube at a time until melted and combined. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 12mm piping nozzle and allow to cool before chilling in the fridge until needed.
3. Meanwhile, unroll puff pastry and place on prepared baking tray. Dock the pastry all over with a fork. Lightly dust the top with icing sugar, then cover with a large piece of baking paper. Place a large enough baking sheet or heavy tray on top of the pastry to completely cover. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove top tray and allow to cool completely.
4. To assemble, cut cooled puff pastry sheet into 8 equal rectangles. Place one layer of pastry onto each serving plate for 2. Pipe crème pâtissière onto the pastry and top with berries. Repeat process with remaining pastry, crème pâtissière and berries, finishing with a top layer of pastry. Dust with icing sugar and edible flowers to serve.
Note: This dessert is best served immediately after assembly to retain crispness of the pastry layers.
Ginspresso Martini
Serves 1
Prep time 10 mins
Ingredients
40 ml (1 shot) espresso, cooled
30 ml (1½ tbsp) coffee grounds gin
3 tsp chocolate liqueur
2 tsp aquafaba (chickpea water)
Maple syrup, to taste
Ice, for shaking
Cocoa powder, for dusting
Coffee grounds gin
250 ml (1 cup) gin
3-5 scoops used coffee grounds
Method
1. To make coffee grounds gin, place gin into a 500ml jar. Add coffee grounds to the jar after making a coffee and set aside for at least 5 days to infuse. Drain through a fine sieve lined with muslin to strain before use.
2. Place espresso, gin, chocolate liqueur, aquafaba, maple syrup and ice into a cocktail shaker and shake until chilled. Pour into a Martini glass and dust with cocoa to serve.
Coffee-Flavoured Recipes
• Coffee-infused Madeleines + White Chocolate Macadamia Affogato
• Coffee Hazelnut New York Cheesecake + Iced Mocha with Baileys Foam