Lemon Curd Mille Feuille
Instructions
Make curd (day before serving dessert):
Put saucepan of water on MEDIUM. Bring to a simmer.
Place 1/2 cup sugar in a metal bowl that fits tightly over saucepan. Add eggs and lemon juice; whisk to blend.
Place bowl over saucepan of simmering water, making sure water does not touch bottom of bowl. Cook, whisking constantly, until curd thickens. Curd will start out light and foamy, then thicken. When whisk leaves tracks in curd as you stir, it is almost ready.
Remove from heat when custard reaches 180 degrees, about 8 min. Transfer to blender (or food processor). Let curd rest about 4 min, stirring occasionally until it cools to 140 degrees.
Blend curd on HIGH, adding a few pieces of butter at a time as it blends and scraping down sides of container as needed. After all butter is added, blend additional 3-4 min. Transfer curd to airtight container. Chill overnight.
Day of serving dessert:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut puff pastry sheet in half crosswise, then each half into thirds. Dust lightly with 1 Tbsp granulated sugar. Bake 25 min, until it puffs up and turns golden brown. Remove from oven.
Cover hot pastry with sheet of parchment paper and a separate clean baking sheet. Press down top baking sheet to help flatten puff pastry. Return all to oven. Bake about 8 min, until crisp; set aside to cool.
Assemble dessert: Spread 1 section of puff pastry with 2 Tbsp curd; center on plate. Top with layer of sliced strawberries. Place second section of pastry on work surface; layer with curd and strawberries. Place atop first layer; top with third section of puff pastry. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar; garnish with berry. Repeat with remaining pastry sections.
Chef Tip(s):
Curd can be refrigerated for up to five days or frozen for up to a month.
