Eggless Mille Feuille with White Chocolate Saffron Cream

If you're looking for an easy mille feuille recipe you've come to the right place. Ready-rolled puff pastry sheets are layered with an eggless mille feuille cream yogurt filling that is flavoured with silky white chocolate and saffron. This decadent dessert is wonderful served during a special occasion or eggless afternoon tea.

So you're ready to prepare a show-stopper dessert? Mille Feuille, or "thousand leaves" is a beautiful French dessert comprising of alternating layers of feather light puff pastry, smooth vanilla cream (creme patissiere) and topped with a layer of icing. It is eye-catching and delicious and this eggless version is no exeption.

In this recipe, I have made an eggless cream filling using strained yogurt which is flavoured with white chocolate and exquisite saffron. The result is a rich filling that contrasts superbly with the light puff pastry.

Eggless Mille Feuille Cream

Instead of a creme patisere filling, I have make an eggless filling using strained yogurt and whipped cream that is stabilised with tapioca starch. Melted white chocolate and icing sugar is folded into this creamy yogurt filling along with threads of saffron.

The filling has some resemblance to an Indian Shrikhand with cream which is also made from strained yogurt.

Saffron is one of the most used spices in our kitchen, not only in making Indian desserts or sweets like Saffron Milk Halwa (prepared in microwave) but also added to aromatic Saffron Vinaigrette for this cosy and warm Carrot, Ginger and Coconut Soup.

I love the addition of saffron in this comforting Italian Vegan Saffron and Asparagus Pasta . Why not incorporate saffron in this refreshing, creamy and smooth rice-based Mexican drink Saffron Cardamom Horchata. We have given lovely saffron twist to these Eggless Saffron and Clementine Buns. These Saffron and Pistachio Shortbread are one of my favourite with a hot cuppa!

Some vegan recipes use a vegan custard filling using custard powder and plant milk but I felt that strained yogurt would hold its shape better. It also meant that I could pipe the cream rather than spread it across the pastry.

ingredients

Puff Pastry - you will need 1 sheet of good quality ready rolled puff pastry. If using frozen pastry, ensure to thaw well in advance in the refrigerator. Then unwrap it and leave it on the smooth worktop for 10 minutes before you need it.

Eggless Creme Ingredients

White chocolate - Ensure you use good quality white chocolate, always look for a higher cocoa percentage to get the most out of your chocolate. The higher the percentage of cocoa butter the smoother it will melt. I used normal white chocolate but you can also use cooking white chocolate if you wish.

Use leftover white chocolate to make this halloween popcorn -simply switch up the colours to suit the season.

Yogurt - we have used plain full-fat natural yogurt which is then strained for a few hours. You can also use greek yogurt but note even greek yogurt needs some straining. You could use yogurt from a Turkish supermarket that is pre-strained.

Double cream - We have used fresh cream which is then whipped. In the UK double cream is rich with a fat content of 48% (percent). In USA it is known as heavy cream. DO NOT use extra thick double cream in this recipe, which is more of a spooning cream.

Sugar - You will need icing sugar for filling and frosting for this Mille Feuille recipe. Icing sugar contains cornstarch that helps to thicken the filling and frosting. In other countries known as powdered sugar or confectioners' sugar.

Tapioca starch or agar agar powder - If you want to pipe your creme then I suggest using either tapioca starch or agar agar powder to stabilise it. This way, the creme will hold its shape under the weight of the layers and even once it is left out of the fridge. If you want to spoon the creme and spread it evenly then you can leave out the starch. Do not use more than the recipe recommends as too much will leave a "floury" uncooked taste in the creme. You can easily find either of these powders in Asian grocery stores, health food stores or online.

Optional flavours:

Cardamom powder - optional but if you're making a fusion dessert, a pinch of cardamom powder works wonders and will provide depth to the recipe.

Saffron threads - traditional millie feuille cream recipe contains egg yolks which gives golden hue to the creme patissiere. We have used saffron which imparts both flavour and a similar golden colour.

Icing Ingredients:

Do not underestimate the power of topping the mille feuille with icing - the sweetness is so good against the pastry and surprisingly it does not over sweeten the dessert.

This icing will set as it dries but will not harden so that it cracks. It remains soft and smooth. I have not flavoured this icing as there are plenty of gorgeous flavours in the creme. I also want the icing to remain crisp white.

Icing sugar - commercial icing sugar is a blend of finely powdered granulated sugar and an anticaking agent.

Milk - we have used whole milk for rich and creamy taste.

Yellow food colouring - if you want to create the chevron design, then add a pinch of yellow food colouring to a small amount of the icing.

We have some unique fusion Puff Pastry recipes on this blog, take a look at them.

Create this showstopper dessert Rose and Pistachio Puff Pastry Cream Cones and impress your guest.

How to make Mille Feuille with Puff Pastry

The recipe is broken down into different steps. To save time, I start with preparing the creme filling which takes a few hours to make! Remeber this isn't a last minute dessert so give yourself time, buy plenty of the ingredients and have any special equipment to hand.

Filling

Firstly, strain the yogurt. Place paper towels in a colander with a bowl underneath to catch the whey. Spoon the yogurt into the paper towels. Add a weight to speed up the straining process. It will take around 2-3 hours. Once the yogurt is strained mix until smooth and set aside. You can leave out this step if you have pre-strained yogurt.

For me, this is the easiest method to melt the chocolate. You may find that a bain marie method works better for you. Add chunks of white chocolate (break the chocolate into smaller pieces) to a microwave safe bowl with 50ml double cream and saffron threads if using. Microwave in 10 second bursts until the chocolate begins to melt slightly but not bubbling. Whilst it is warm, whisk together the chocolate and double cream and set aside. It should remain a thick yet spoonable consistency.

Whip the remaining double cream until forming soft peaks.

Fold the whipped cream, strained yogurt, chocolate, icing sugar, tapioca starch and cardamom powder together and mix gently until smooth.

Transfer to a piping bag with a nozzle already attached and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Meanwhile, you can get on with the pastry.

Pastry - baked in the oven method

Take the ready-rolled puff pastry out of the fridge approximately 10 mins prior to handling. You'll know its ready to use when you unroll it slightly and no cracks appear. If there are too any large cracks, leave it a few minutes longer.

Pre-heat the oven to 190C.

Lay out the ready pastry sheet and roll until ½cm thick.

Cut into equal rectangles using a sharp knife or pizza cutter. We used 4"x2". Pierce the pastry with a fork several times so the pastry does not rise as it bakes.

Place the rectangles on baking parchment in a baking tray. Place another piece of parchment on top and then lay another baking tray to create a weight on top of the pastry. This prevents the pastry from rising.

Bake for 10 minutes then remove the top baking tray and bake for a further 5-10 minutes or until golden-brown. At this point, the pastry should only brown a little but not rise or puff!

If required, using a grater, grate the edges of the pastry until even in size and for an even finish. Set aside in groups of 3 similar sized pieces. This technique also makes it appear you have made a large mille feuille and then cut it.

Icing/Frosting

Place icing sugar in a bowl, you can sieve if there are any lumps, and add the milk bit by bit whisking until a thick paste forms. I would aim for a thick paste as a thinner paste will drip down the sides.

Spoon some of the icing into a different bowl and add food colouring. Add this to a piping bag with a very small hole.

Spread the thick white icing across one rectangle from each group. At this point, work fast to add the design as the icing will begin to set. Try to spread the icing gently in a way that crumbs from the pastry will not spread across the icing and ruin the finish.

Pipe small equidistant lines of the colour icing across the rectangles. Before the icing sets, rake a toothpick across the lines to create a chevron pattern.

Assembly

When ready to assemble, take the filling out of the fridge just before using.

Pipe dollops onto a pastry rectangle. Top this with another piece and repeat. Finish with a rectangle that has been iced.

Alternatively, spread the filling onto the pastry without piping and assemble the same way.

The Mille Feuille are ready to serve! At this point, they can also be placed in the fridge if not served straight away.

Air-fryer Mille Feuille Puff Pastry

I love using the Air-Fryer for most of my puff pastry recipes as the pastry cooks evenly.

Preheat the air-fryer to 190C.

You will need baking trays that are small enough to fit in your air-fryer basket.

Take your cut puff pastry rectangles and place in a parchment lined baking tray. As above, top with another piece of parchment and then place another tray to provide weight.

Air-fry at 190C for 7 minutes. Remove the baking tray and brown the pastry for another 5 minutes. Judge at this point, if the pastry is already looking brown, reduce the timings.

Open the air-fryer basket immediately once the timer goes off. Leaving food in the basket closed will continue to cook in the heat and will burn!!! I've learnt this the hard way...

Other yogurt recipes

• Yogurt Sandwich

• Cashew, Date and Yogurt Popsicle

• Creamy Rose Lassi

• Bhapa Doi with Spiced Orange Syrup (steamed/baked yogurt)

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

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