2018 KEEN YOUNG COOK FINALIST: NEEVE DUNSMUIR
Pear & Chocolate Mille Feuille
"I like the combinations of pears and chocolate and I have a pear tree in my garden with delicious pears. We learnt how to make ruff puff pastry and I really enjoyed it and I was very successful. I made up this recipe with my food teacher and practiced many times. I found all the textures worked well together and it has a very sweet flavour. I thought it was good mixing the pears and chocolate together."
Ingredients
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125g plain flour
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Pinch salt
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75g butter or margarine
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75ml cold water
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½ tsp lemon juice
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200g dark chocolate
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100ml double cream
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4 pears
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100g sugar (for poaching)
Method
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Sift flour and salt together in a bowl. Cut the butter into even sized cubes and stir into the flour without breaking up the pieces.
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Add the cold water and lemon juice to mix to a fairly stiff dough.
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On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into an oblong, three times as long as it is wide.
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Fold the top third down and the bottom third up, as if folding a letter. Turn around so that the folded edges are at the sides. Seal the ends of the pastry with a rolling pin.
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Wrap the pastry in cling film and place in the freezer for at least 5 minutes.
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Repeat this rolling and folding process three more times.
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Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for as long as possible before using.
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Boil cream, add chocolate and leave to cool.
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Peel pears and poach in a sugar syrup until soft.
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Roll into a rectangle and cut into 6 rectangles.
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Bake at 220°C (Electric oven | Electric fan oven 200°C | Gas Mark 7) for 15 minutes.
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Leave to cool.
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Fill the pastry with chocolate cream and pears, drizzle melted chocolate over the top.