french vanilla slices (mille-feuilles)

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 cups milk
• 7 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 whole vanilla bean
• 3/4 cup castor sugar or superfine sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 (17.5 ounce) packages frozen puff pastry
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves (optional)
• confectioners' sugar for dusting

Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 mins Ready Time: 30 mins


• in a small saucepan, heat milk until small form. drop in the vanilla pod, remove saucepan from heat, and set aside to cool until just warm. in a medium saucepan, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, and egg yolks. beat for a moment, then gradually whisk in warm milk. simmer over medium-low heat until the custard thickens, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking. transfer custard to a bowl, and allow to cool, stirring from time to time.
• preheat oven to 400 degrees f (200 degrees c). roll out the puff pastry into a single sheet about 1/2 inch thick; it should be the same size as a 17x14 inch baking sheet. place the pastry the baking sheet, and prick all over with a fork.
• bake in preheated oven for 28 minutes. remove from oven, and cool pastry on the baking sheet.
• when the pastry has cooled completely, transfer it from the baking sheet to a hard surface, and cut lengthwise into three 4 to 5 inches wide strips. spread one strip thickly with custard. place a second strip directly over the first; spread the top evenly with jam. cover with the third strip, and dust with confectioners' sugar. with a very sharp knife, cut into 8 rectangular portions.