Mille feuille
Yes, I know what you're thinking. This isn't for you. You won't make it and how can you even make something like that? I used to think exactly the same, but then, step by step, it worked. And you will succeed too. And as the article mentions, this is eaten the same day because this is a One Day Cake.
1 portion puff pastry
custard:
1/2 vanilla pod
500 ml full-fat milk
5 egg yolks
80 g golden caster sugar
30 g cornstarch
30 g wheat flour
pinch of salt
200 g sweet cream
500 - 700 g berries, such as strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries
Heat the oven to 200° and line two pans with baking paper. Divide the dough in two and roll each one out to 30x40 cm. Prick with a fork. Place one pan in the fridge and leave one pan covering with parchment paper and another pan. Put in the middle of the oven and bake for about 18 mins. Take out, and remove the upper pan and parchment paper. Sift with powdered sugar and bake for another 10 minutes. Take out and cool. Repeat with the other pan.
Custard. Cut the vanilla pod in half, remove the seeds, and put them in the pot. Add the milk, add the cleaned vanilla pod and heat until the milk starts to show smoke.
Once done, in a bowl, using a hand ballon whisk, mix the eggs, sugar, cornstarch, flour, and salt in a bowl with a whisk. While continuing to stir, add a little heated milk. Stir. Then add a little more and mix. And so another 2-3 times. When the egg mixture is more liquid, pour it into the pot with the remaining milk.
Pour the mixture into a pot and heat on medium heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens. When you get big, slow bubbles, keep stirring for another 20 seconds. Then immediately pour the curd into a clean bowl and cover with cling film, placing DIRECTLY on the cream, not on the bowl. Allow to cool at room temperature and only then refrigerate. It is best for 12 hours, but if you don't have that much time, put it in a bowl filled with ice and cool it much faster by stirring.
When the custard has cooled, put the sweet cream in another bowl and beat on medium-low speed until it becomes soft and pliable. When ready, with the same mixer, slightly beat the curd so that it is flexible and creamy. Once this is done, add the whipped cream and beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Place in the refrigerator to keep cool while you prepare the cake.
Cut the cooled pastry sheets into whatever size you want. I usually cut them about 5x8 cm. Put the curd in a pastry bag, if you have one, with your favorite tip and squeeze it onto the bottom layer of puff pastry. Then put a berry in the middle and place another pastry sheet on top. Add more curd and another sheet of pastry. If you want even more custard, add it on the top layer as well, but I like to just sprinkle icing sugar. Or tilt the cake on its side and spread with cream and add some berries.