California Prune Mille Feuille

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C and remove the pastry from the fridge.

To make the creme patisserie:

1. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar until pale yellow and creamy.
2. Sift in the cornflour and mix together.
3. In a saucepan, bring the milk to the boil and remove from the heat.
4. Pour about 1/4 of the milk over the egg mixture and beat together until smooth, then pour the mixture back into the saucepan.
5. On a low heat whisk continuously until smooth and thickened slightly.
6. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla and allow to cool, cover with cling film to stop a skin forming.
7. Once the crème patissiere is cooled whisk in the mascarpone until smooth.
8. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the pastry:

1. Dust 2 large baking trays with flour.
2. Lay out the sheets of puff pastry and, using a pizza cutter, cut into 28 even rectangles.
3. Place the pastry rectangles on the baking trays, prick all over with a fork and cook in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes.
4. Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.

To assemble the mille feuille:

1. Add a tablespoon of water to the California Prune purée to make it more easily spreadable.
2. Once the pastry is cooled spread half of them with the prune purée, top with the crème patissiere then add another pastry rectangle.
3. Spread a small amount of the crème patissiere on top and place sliced strawberries on top.
4. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.

• To make California Prune Purée blend 100g California Prunes with 6 tbsp boiling water in a liquidiser until puréed to your desired consistency.