STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM MILLE FEUILLE

It’ a time to celebrate as the first of the strawberries are here and this dessert is an easy way to impress.

Serves 8

400g butter puff pastry

For brushing: eggwash

For dusting: pure icing sugar

500g (2 punnets) fresh strawberries

4 Tbsp icing sugar

250g mascarpone

250 ml cream, lightly whipped

1 orange, zest and 1 tsp juice

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Roll pastry into a 20cm x 28cm rectangle, then cut into 8 even rectangles. Transfer to a lined baking tray, put into the fridge for at least 15 minutes. Brush with eggwash and bake until golden and puffed (15-17 minutes), then cool.

Slice the strawberries into 3-4 mm thick slices and place into bowl along with 2 tablespoons icing sugar and orange juice.  Let the strawberries macerate for at least 30 minutes – 1 hour this will allow the natural juices to seep.

Put the mascarpone into a suitable sized bowl and mix with the orange zest and 1-2 tablespoons of icing sugar. Gently fold through the whipped cream and if not using immediately store covered in the fridge.

Split each pastry rectangle into 3 layers. Pipe or spoon the mascarpone cream onto base and middle layers, top with the juicy strawberries, then stack on one another, sandwich with tops, dust with icing sugar and serve