Raspberry Mille-Feuille with Vanilla Cream

Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Roll out puff pastry sheets slightly thinner if needed. Prick them all over with a fork. Place one sheet on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, cover with another sheet of parchment paper, and place a second baking tray or heavy oven-safe dish on top to weigh it down. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the top tray/weight and parchment, then bake for another 5-10 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Repeat with the second sheet. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Gradually pour about half of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking continuously, until the cream thickens significantly and comes to a gentle boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract, then add the cold, cubed butter, stirring until fully melted and incorporated. Transfer the cream to a clean bowl, cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30-45 minutes, or until completely cold.

Once the puff pastry is cool, trim the edges to create neat rectangles (approx. 10x20 cm or desired size). You should get 3 equal layers per serving. Whip the chilled vanilla cream briefly to loosen it. Transfer the cream to a piping bag fitted with a round or star tip. Place one pastry rectangle on your serving plate. Pipe a layer of vanilla cream over it, then arrange fresh raspberries on top. Carefully place a second pastry rectangle on the raspberries, pipe another layer of cream, and add more raspberries. Top with the third pastry rectangle. Dust generously with powdered sugar just before serving. Repeat for all servings.