ROUGH PUFF PASTRY

1. Grate the cold butter. If the butter begins to soften, place it back into the refrigerator before continuing.
2. Place the grated butter, baker’s flour and salt into a bowl.
3. Gradually add the water while mixing by hand until the ingredients just come together as a dough with visible pieces of butter remaining.
4. Dust your workbench with flour and roll the dough out into a rectangle, approximately 350mm x 200mm in size.
5. Fold the dough, one third of the way in on itself, then fold the opposite side on top.
6. Place into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
7. Return the dough to your workbench, rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll it out into a rectangle the opposite way, then fold it as per the instructions above.
8. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat the rolling and folding process again.
9. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
10. Heat the oven to 210°C, fan forced.
11. Roll the chilled dough out to a rectangle and fold it one final time as per the above instructions.
12. Finally, roll the dough to approximately 3mm in thickness.
13. Use a pastry docker or fork to pierce the dough all over. This will ensure it does not rise while baking.
14. Transfer onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.
15. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 5 minutes before placing a piece of baking paper and another tray on top of the pastry. Bake for a further 25 minutes or until golden-brown in colour.
16. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely at room temperature.
17. Once cool, cut the pastry into 9 rectangles, 120mm x 60mm in size.

CARAMELISED ALMONDS

1. Heat the oven to 160°C, fan forced.
2. Place the water and sugar into a saucepan and bring to the boil before removing from the heat.
3. Add the almonds to the syrup to coat, then strain the excess syrup and scatter the almonds over a baking tray lined with a silicon baking mat.
4. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes, turning the nuts over every 5 minutes to ensure even roasting, until golden in colour.
5. Set aside to cool at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE COFFEE CUSTARD

1. Place the milk and vanilla into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. Meanwhile, combine the custard powder and sugar in a bowl. Add the egg yolks and whisk by hand.
3. Pour the hot milk over the yolk mixture while whisking.
4. Return to the saucepan and bring to the boil while continuously whisking.
5. Pour the custard over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate has completely melted and combined.
6. Add the butter, a piece at a time, and whisk until incorporated and smooth.
7. Lastly, add the espresso and mix to combine.
8. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the custard and place into the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours.

NOTE:   The custard can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

ASSEMBLY

1. Transfer the prepared custard into a piping bag fitted with a 10mm round piping nozzle.
2. Pipe a layer of custard onto a rectangle pastry base, sprinkle over some caramelised almonds, then top with another piece of pastry.
3. Repeat with another layer of custard, almonds and pastry.
4. Sprinkle the top of the mille feuille with additional caramelised almonds then dust with icing sugar.