Mille-feuille
(Millefeuille, Mille feuilles, Napoleon, Napoleon cake, Napolyeon tort)
Creamy, flaky, and delicate, this French dessert can be literally translated as a thousand leaves. Mille-feuille consists of thin layers of pastry and fillings topped with cocoa, almond, or vanilla icing. Fillings may include jam, whipped cream, custard, puréed fruit, or nut paste.
The first recipe for this decadent dessert appeared in La Varenne’s 1651 cookbook Le Cuisinier François. Mille-feuille’s alternative name, the Napoleon, refers not to the emperor but to the Italian city of Naples, which is known for its layered desserts.
There is also a savory version of the mille-feuille filled with cheese and spinach, and it is usually served as an appetizer, especially in Italy and the United States.
Pairing tips
Champagne
Popularly known as the gold standard of sparkling wine, true Champagne only comes from the actual Champagne region in France. It is produced using the so-called ... Read more
Asti Spumante
Asti Spumante is a fully sparkling wine produced under Asti DOCG appellation. It is made from Moscato Bianco grapes and most commonly by Charmat method, in which ... Read more
Recipe variations
Mille-Feuille aka Napoleon
READY IN 9h 50minThis is the recipe for the classic mille-feuille with pastry cream and the signature fondant glaze top. Here the pastry cream is made with whole eggs, not only egg yolks as in the traditional pastry cream recipe, which makes it less heavy and fat, while the glucose helps improve the texture and prevents dehydration.
Larousse Gastronomique's Chocolate Mille-Feuille
READY IN 12h 45minThis recipe adapted from Larousse Gastronomique is for a chocolate mille-feuille. Here cocoa is used in both the pastry and the cream, while the top layer is decorated with mint leaves and cherries which are known to pair well with chocolate. An extra kick of chocolate comes from the chocolate sauce that it is served with.
Mille-feuille Authentic recipe
This is the recipe for the classic mille-feuille with pastry cream and the signature fondant glaze top. Here the pastry cream is made with whole eggs, not only egg yolks as in the traditional pastry cream recipe, which makes it less heavy and fat, while the glucose helps improve the texture and prevents dehydration.
WHERE TO EAT The best Mille-feuille in the world (according to food experts)
