Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard

A million layers of buttery chocolate pastry and cassis-spiked chocolate cream from Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard

• 500g all butter puff pastry
• 50g cocoa powder, for dusting

For the chocolate cream filling

• 100g dark chocolate
• 100g single cream
• 600ml whipping cream
• 2 tbsp crème de cassis, plus extra to drizzle

To assemble

• 400g blackberries, plus extra to serve
• Icing sugar and cocoa powder, to dust

1. Preheat oven to 220°C/gas mark 7. On a lightly floured surface roll the pastry out into a large rectangle and sieve over the cocoa. Prepare the pastry by folding one end of the rectangle into the centre and repeat with the opposite end, so that each ends meet in the middle. Repeat the process, adding another dusting of cocoa and roll the pastry again until left with a thin rectangle of pastry.

2. Place the pastry on a large baking tray and trim it to fit. Prick the pastry all over with a fork, cover with a sheet of greaseproof paper and weight the pastry down with a second baking tray. Transfer to the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the pastry begins to colour. Remove the second baking tray used to weight down and place the pastry back in the oven to finish cooking for a further 15mins. Once cooked, remove and leave to cool.

3. Meanwhile make the chocolate filling. Place the single cream in a heavy based saucepan and heat to scalding point. Pour the cream onto the dark chocolate, mix gently until smooth then allow to cool.

4. Beat the whipping cream with an electric whisk until soft peaks form. Mix the cooled chocolate into the whipped cream then fold in the crème de cassis cassis.

5. Once the pastry is cool, cut into small rectangles. Using either a piping bag or with the palette knife, spread a thick layer of cream onto the chocolate pastry rectangles. Cover the layer of cream with a layer of blackberries and add a little extra of the chocolate cream filling between the berries. Place a second rectangle on top and finish with a dusting of icing sugar

6. Drizzle some extra berries with cassis and serve with the mille feuille.