Apple Cider Custard Mille-Feuille

Ingredients

Crisp pastry

• 1 package (17.3 oz / 490 g) all-butter puff pastry, two sheets, thawed in the refrigerator
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, for rolling
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar, for the pastry

Vanilla custard

• 1½ cups whole milk
• 3 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp (24 g) cornstarch
• ⅛ tsp fine salt
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cider apples and glaze

• ½ cup apple cider, not vinegar
• 2 medium apples (about 12 oz total), peeled, cored, and diced small
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ⅓ cup (40 g) powdered sugar

Equipment

Two baking sheets, parchment, saucepan, whisk

Allergens: Wheat, milk, egg; check puff pastry labels.

Step by step

1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Dust the work surface with the measured flour. Roll each cold pastry sheet to 9 by 12 inches and cut each into nine 3-by-4-inch rectangles, for 18 pieces total. Transfer to parchment-lined sheets, prick with a fork, and sprinkle with the 1 tbsp sugar.
2. Cover the pastry with another parchment sheet and a second baking sheet to limit puffing. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the upper sheet and parchment, then bake 5–10 minutes more until deeply golden and crisp. Work in batches if needed and cool completely.
3. Whisk the egg yolks, ¼ cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. Heat the milk until steaming. Gradually whisk half the hot milk into the yolks, then return everything to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking continuously, until thick bubbles break the surface; cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat and stir in the custard butter and vanilla.
4. Spread the custard in a shallow bowl, cover its surface, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until cold. Do not fill the pastry with warm custard.
5. Simmer the cider in a small saucepan until reduced to ¼ cup. Melt the separate apple butter in a skillet, add the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and 2 tbsp of the reduced cider. Cook for 8–10 minutes until tender and the liquid is syrupy. Cool completely.
6. Whisk the remaining 2 tbsp reduced cider into the powdered sugar to make a pourable glaze. Divide the custard and apples into 12 equal portions. For each dessert, layer pastry, one portion custard and apple, pastry, another portion custard and apple, then a final pastry rectangle. Divide the cider glaze over the tops.
7. Assemble just before serving. Use a serrated knife with gentle sawing strokes to cut through the crisp layers without squeezing out the filling.

The Devotti twist: The reduced cider flavors both the apples and the glaze, giving the crisp pastry a concentrated orchard finish.

Make ahead and storage

Store custard and apples covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days; keep cooled pastry airtight at room temperature for 1 day. Assemble on the day of serving.

Image: AI-generated recipe illustration; homemade results and presentation will vary.