Having started our meal with a savoury cheesecake, we’re skipping the traditional dairy dessert of Shavuot for this twist on a classic. A perfect final dish, the sweetness of this timeless French pastry, paired with the hint of sourness from the cherries, is the ideal way to round off a meal, and perfect after the hint of spiciness from our flavourful adobo coffee-crusted tuna steak.
This cherry millefeuille is rich in symbolism and sweetness, just like the holiday itself. The dessert is inspired by the moment of revelation—when the boundaries of reality, space, and time peeled away, and the Children of Israel heard the first two commandments directly from Hashem.
Flaky layers of puff pastry are filled with silky crème pâtissière and a jammy cherry compôte. The pastry represents the structured spiritual worlds through which Divine truth descends, while the cream evokes the hidden, sweet essence of Hashem’s voice—briefly revealed and tasted in that singular moment at Sinai.
While the thought of making a millefeuille may seem daunting, this iteration uses shop bought pastry, immediately making it a little more doable. Although the crème pâtissière does require your full attention, if you want a speedier version, we suggest whipping up dairy cream, and using that as an easy substitute. The cherry compôte is really easy, but can be substituted for a suitable fruit of your choice, or for a cheats way, a jar of fruity conserve could do the trick. It’s not always about spending the most time in the kitchen, it’s about sharing delicious food with family and friends and enhancing Yom Tov, without breaking too much of a sweat.
Makes 4
Ingredients
For the pastry:
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) puff pastry
- Plain (all-purpose) flour, for dusting
For the Crème Pâtissière:
- 1 vanilla pod
- 500 ml (2 cups) full-fat (whole) milk
- 6 egg yolks
- 125 g (4 oz / generous ½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar, plus more if needed
- 40 g (1½ oz / generous ¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
For the cherry filling:
- 800g of frozen cherries
- 80g of demerara sugar
- Juice of a quarter of an orange
- 3 strips of peeled orange skin
To serve:
- Icing sugar
Method
Prepare the Pastry
- Make the topping first
- Preheat oven to 190°C fan (400°F / Gas 6).
- Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle, about 2 mm (1/16 in) thick.
- Place on the baking sheet and prick all over with a fork to prevent puffing.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
- Once cool, cut in half lengthwise to make two large rectangles. Then cut each into six equal pieces, giving you 12 pieces total.
Make the Vanilla Custard
- Split the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.
- Add the seeds and pod to a saucepan with the milk. Slowly bring to a boil to infuse.
- In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until just combined. Sift in the flour and mix until smooth.
- Pour the hot milk mixture over the yolks, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
- Return everything to the pan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly for about 3 minutes, until thick.
- Strain the custard through a fine sieve.
Cool completely, then refrigerate.
Whip the Cream
- Whip the cream with the sugar until thick.
- Take the chilled custard from the fridge and whisk to smooth out any lumps.
- Fold the whipped cream into the custard.
- Transfer the mixture into a piping bag and snip the end off.
Assemble the Millefeuille
- Place one pastry rectangle on your work surface.
- Pipe a small mound of cream (about 2 cm / ¾ in wide) in one corner, then place a cherry next to it.
- Continue alternating cream and cherries until the pastry is covered.
- Top with another pastry rectangle and dust generously with icing sugar.
Optional: Make a Second Layer
- For a classic two-tier millefeuille, repeat the layering process on top.
- Or enjoy as a single-layer dessert.
Continue until all cream, cherries, and pastry are used. Always finish with a dusting of icing sugar on top.
Keep refrigerated until serving.
