Mille Feuille is a french dessert which is nothing but layers of caramelized puff pastry sheets sandwiched with luscious cream, ideally Pastry Creme (Crème Pâtissière), which in this case is made richer by adding butter and so it is a mousseline buttercream.

You can have more than 2 layers also. I just stopped with 2. If you are continuing more than 2, the layers get repeated. I have not combined the mango with the mousseline buttercream. But made a compote out of fresh mangoes and made them as another individual component.

I came across the idea of compressing the puff pastry while baking and also caramelizing the pastry. I was really glad that one of the most gorgeous french desserts was so easy to put together without any complicated tools or gadgets at home.

I used the frozen ready to use puff pastry sheets and I was loving how every other step was getting demystified as I kept going. You can make your puff pastry from scratch. You can follow my link here to make on your own.

1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degree C. Line a baking tray with silicon mat or butter paper. Cut each pastry sheet into 2.5 inches by 5 inches sized rectangle sheets. Place them over the prepared baking tray.

2. Sprinkle sugar over the pastry sheets.

3. Cover the top of the pastry sheet with the silicon mat or a sheet of butter paper.

4. Place another baking tray over the butter paper/silicon mat. Make sure the baking tray covers the pastry sheets under.

5. Bake in the pre-heated oven at 200 degree C for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 180 degrees and continue to bake for another 10 minutes. The top of the pastry should be deep golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

1. Add egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl.

2. Use wire whisk and cream them together.

3. Heat milk in a heavy bottomed sauce pan on medium heat, until it starts to bubble on the edges.

4. Pour the milk gently over the yolk-sugar mixture as you keep stirring the mixture.

5. Transfer the entire contents into the heavy bottomed saucepan again and bring it back on medium heat.

6. Switch over between low flame and medium low flame and continue to stir constantly until the mixture thickens. Do not let it thicken beyond the point where you see lumps. You need to stop cooking when you see the surface of the saucepan.

7. Continue to whisk it briskly until no lumps are there. Add half of measured butter ( 38 gms) into the mixture and continue to whisk until the butter melts and combines well.

8. Add vanilla extract and whisk until combined.

9. Transfer the contents into a cling wrap lined baking pan. Spread it out and cover with cling wrap and freeze for 1 hour.

10. Once its completely cold, transfer contents into the bowl of your electric beater.

11. Beat on medium high speed for about 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture becomes light and creamy

12. Add the remaining butter and continue to beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until the buttercream becomes light and smooth.

13. Store in room temperature if using within 1 to 2 hours. If going to store for long, transfer into airtight container in refrigerator.

1. Add mango puree, lemon rind, lemon juice and sugar in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Bring it on fire on medium high. Use a wooden spoon and keep stirring.

2. The sugar will melt completely and liquidize in the beginning. Continue to stir, it will thicken

3. Continue to cook on medium flame to 2 to 3 more minutes, until the mixture becomes shiny and glossy. Transfer contents into another airtight container and refrigerate for 2 hours.

1. Transfer the buttercream into a piping bag and cut open about 1/2 an inch thickness opening on the tip of the piping bag. Transfer mango compote into another piping bag and cut open 1/4 of an inch thickness. Pipe rounds on top of the caramelized puff pastry sheet in 2 rows.

2.Continue to pipe them on all the sheets.

3.Pipe mango compote in between the 2 rows of the buttercream.

4. Refrigerate at this stage for 15 minutes for the buttercream to firm up. Then place one of the puff pastry sheet over the other, keeping the buttercream and compote of both layers facing the top.

You can continue to add layers in the similar way. You can also decorate the top with a simple icing sugar dust. Chocolate decorations, sliced mangoes, edible gold leaves and those additions depends on how gorgeously you want to present your dessert.

As is the usual case, I found a rind of lemon to place on top to finish up with mine. This is definitely a must try totally french dish that will make you proud.