CHOCOLATE CARAMEL MILLE FEUILLE

Steps:

• First prepare chocolate pastry cream.
• Set out a large bowl of ice water and a smaller bowl.
• In a stainless steel pot, bring the milk to a boil.
• Whisk together the yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a mixing bowl.
• Add a small quantity of the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking vigorously.
• Continue adding milk, a little at a time, until fully incorporated.
• Boil the mixture, whisking constantly, for one to two minutes.
• Stir in the chocolate, then remove from heat and scrape the pastry cream into the smaller bowl.
• Place the small bowl into the ice water bath.
• Stir frequently to keep the cream smooth.
• Cool to 140 degrees.
• Remove the cream from the ice bath and stir in the butter, in three or four additions.
• Return the bowl to the ice bath and continue to stir occasionally until the cream is completely cool.
• Whip heavy cream until it holds medium peaks, then gently fold into the prepared pastry cream.
• Place the pastry cream into a pastry bag fitted with a round tip.
• Cut the puff pastry into 15 rectangular pieces.
• Place them on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
• Turn convection oven to 375 degrees.
• Dust the tops of the pastry rectangles with granulated sugar.
• Bake for eight to ten minutes.
• Turn pan around and bake for another eight to ten minutes.
• Remove pastry from oven, then gently invert pan onto another parchment-line sheet pan.
• Sift powdered sugar on the unbrowned side of the pastry.
• Bake for another five minutes, until the sugar is smooth, shiny and caramelized.
• Watch carefully during this phase so pastry does not burn.
• Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
• Split pastries rectangles and pipe pastry cream onto bottom layer, then replace with the top.
• Dust plates with cocoa powder and serve.