Raspberry Chocolate Mille Feuilles

Instructions

To bake the pastry layers

1. Roll out the puff pastry into three 8 inch squares. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheets. You may have to bake these one at a time depending on the size of your cookie sheet or oven.
2. Dock the pastry by stabbing holes in it with a fork about every half inch over the entire surface of the pastry. Chill it in the freezer for 10 minutes to ensure that it is well chilled. Puff pastry MUST be baked very cold.
3. Place another sheet of parchment paper on top of the pastry and weight it down with another cookie sheet on top. This keeps the pastry from puffing too much and ensures that it is crispy when baked.
4. Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for about 15 minutes. Decrease the heat to 375 degrees F, remove the top pan and top sheet of parchment paper and bake for about another 5 minutes or so until it is evenly medium golden brown throughout. Cool the baked pastry sheets completely before filling the layers of the mille feuilles.

To prepare the whipped chocolate filling

1. To a double boiler, add 3/4 cup of the whipping cream and 3 cups of the chocolate chips. Melt together slowly until smooth. You want this mixture to be just at the melting point, so don't overheat it. If it feels too hot to the touch, transfer it to a glass bowl and stir occasionally until it reaches a lukewarm temperature.
2. To the bowl of an electric stand mixer, add the other 1 3/4 cups whipping cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract. Whip to firm peaks.
3. Fold the chocolate mixture gently into the whipped cream in about 3 portions. Fold only enough so that there are no white streaks in the mixture. The less you fold the lighter the chocolate filling will be. The chocolate mixture will have to be refrigerated for up to an hour before use. Fold it gently for a couple of turns every 20 minutes.

To construct the mille feuilles.

1. Lay the first layer of pastry onto a cookie sheet, cutting board or in the bottom of a 9x9 baking pan with enough paper draping over two opposite sides to allow you to left the mille feuilles out of the pan when they are completely chilled.
2. Spread a thin layer of the whipped chocolate over the pastry. Place the raspberries in even rows, 1/8 inch or so apart over the entire surface of the pastry.
3. Spread enough of the whipped chocolate over the raspberries to completely cover them. You can use a piping bag for this purpose to make sure that the raspberries are completely enveloped in chocolate by piping it into the spaces between them.
4. Spread the chocolate just to the tops of the raspberries, removing any excess and making sure the raspberries at the edges are completely covered.
5. Add the next layer of pastry and repeat the process with the raspberries and whipped chocolate before adding the top layer of pastry. Use any excess whipped chocolate to fill any gaps around the edges and to smooth the sides. You don't have to be too fussy about it at this point. The edges will be trimmed later.
6. Chill the mille feuilles for four hours or longer before cutting. Overnight is probably best to ensure clean cuts.

To prepare the chocolate ganache for the top.

1. Melt together the chocolate chips, whipping cream, and corn syrup until just at the melting point. Pour and spread evenly over the chilled mille feuilles. Chill for another hour before cutting.
2. Trim all of the edges of the chilled mille feulles to expose the raspberries at the edges. ( the trimmings are the baker's bonus!)
3. Cut the trimmed mille feille into 8 individual rectangles or 16 squares. Garnish with additional fresh raspberries and serve.