RASPBERRIES

Budi Setiono, executive pastry chef at Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, says of his favourite ingredient: “Raspberry always enriches the taste of desserts. It’s a very versatile fruit, which can be added to or blended with other ingredients such as chocolate, cream and custard. Other than enriching the flavour, it makes a dish look gorgeous. And since it’s always available, fresh or frozen, it can be served yearround. And even when the berries look a bit off, they can always be used as compotes or jam to make another dish.”

Raspberry millefeuille

Ingredients and method for the pastry

500g puff pastry, in 2mm-thick sheets

Bake the puff pastry at 180ºC for about 35 minutes.

Make sure to cover with baking paper, and place a heavy tray on top to ensure the pastry is straight and does not rise. Once cooked, cut each sheet lengthwise into three pieces.

Ingredients and method for the mousseline cream

5 eggs yolks

150g sugar

60g corn flour

500ml full-cream milk 2tsp vanilla essence

(or 1 vanilla pod)

400g butter (divided into 2), at room temperature

Hand-whisk the yolks, sugar and corn flour.

Heat the milk, and once it’s almost reached boiling point, pour a quarter of it into the yolk mixture.

Pour this mix into the rest of the hot milk, and continue to stir until cooked. Add vanilla essence and remove from heat. Add half of the butter to the hot custard mixture and stir until well combined. Keep on a flat tray and cover with cling film until it reaches room temperature.

Beat the rest of the butter with a paddle attachment, then add the cold cream in parts of three, and keep mixing until it becomes pale and fluffy.

Assembly ingredients and method

2 packs of fresh raspberries Mint leaves, to garnish

Arrange the puff pastry on a plate and put the mousseline cream in a pipping bag. Pipe the cream on to two pieces of the puff pastry and arrange the raspberries on top of the cream. Stack the two pieces of puff pastry with the raspberries and cream on top of each other, and then place the third sheet of puff pastry on top. Repeat as required.

Press the millefeuille lightly until the cream and puff pastry attach nicely. Freeze for 20 to 30 minutes until the cream is solid and easy to slice. Garnish with any remaining cream, berries and mint leaves.