2023 Vuelta España - Stage 14: Sauveterre de Béarn to Larra Belagua.
While yesterday’s route ended in France, today the riders rode out of France and just across the border back into Spain. Resultantly, today’s dish has a bit of French flair along with a Spanish twist; also if this was French they would make you strain the custard, but this is more rustic preparation. These are known in Spain as a milhoja caliente…or hot millefeuilles and they come together pretty quickly. How quick? So quick I made it just this morning and am here to post about it. I am not a fan of the warm filling as it reminded me of cream of wheat or oatmeal. I prefer my custard cold. Other than that, this is a hit.
Puff Pastry with Almond Custard
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg yolk for brushing the pastry + 5 yolks for the custard
¾ cup sugar
2.25 cups whole milk
¼ cup flour
¾ cup blanched almonds
3 tablespoons Licor 43 or your favorite dark rum, or vanilla
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Once the puff pastry has thawed, roll it out into a rough 12x8 rectangle. Then cut into 6 portions. Mix one egg yolk with a teaspoon of water and brush on the top of your pastries. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until deep golden brown. Remove and let cool.
While the pastry bakes, using a whisk attachment on a stand mixer (or a hand mixer) combine the sugar with the 5 yolks and beat until pale and creamy. Then, mix in the flour briefly.
Meanwhile, heat the milk in a large pot until it just begins to boil. Transfer it to the egg yolk mixture with the machine running and continue to mix for a minute or so.
Transfer the mixing bowl contents back to the pot set over low heat. Stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
While the custard is warming over low heat, place the almonds in a small food processor and pulverize into fine crumbs.
Return to the pot and increase the heat to medium. Whisk constantly until the cream thickens and bubbles start to break at the surface. Continue to cook, whisking constantly for a few minutes after the bubbling occurs.
Turn off the heat and stir in the almonds and Licor 43 and let it set on the stove, with the heat off.
Using a serrated knife, slice through the middle of the pastry squares horizontally. Mix the cream once more and spread it over the bottoms of the pastry. Place the tops on and sprinkle on the confectioner’s sugar and serve.
Alternatively, place the cream in a covered bowl in the refrigerator until completely cold, then spread on the pastry squares. Also, if you don’t want little bits of almond in the cream, use a couple teaspoons of almond extract instead. Taste for any adjustments.
______________________________ Copyright 2023, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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