Lemon Ricotta Puff Pastry (Print Version)
Crisp puff pastry layers filled with luscious lemon ricotta cream and dusted with powdered sugar.
# What You Need:
→ Puff Pastry
01 - 1 sheet (about 9 oz) store-bought or homemade puff pastry
02 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, for sprinkling
→ Lemon Ricotta Cream
03 - 9 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
04 - 1/3 cup plus 1 ½ tablespoons heavy whipping cream
05 - 1 medium lemon, zest and juice
06 - 2 oz powdered sugar
07 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Garnish
08 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
09 - Fresh lemon zest, for decoration (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 12 equal rectangles and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with granulated sugar. Place a second sheet of parchment paper over the rectangles and set another baking sheet on top to weigh them down and prevent excessive puffing.
03 - Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the pastry is crisp and deep golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
04 - In a mixing bowl, whisk the ricotta until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, then stir until well combined.
05 - In a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the ricotta mixture in two additions until evenly incorporated. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
06 - Spread or pipe a generous layer of lemon ricotta cream onto six of the pastry rectangles. Place a second rectangle on top of each to form six two-layer mille feuille.
07 - Dust the top pastry layer of each with powdered sugar and finish with a scattering of fresh lemon zest. Serve immediately.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The contrast between shatteringly crisp pastry and cloud soft lemon ricotta cream is the kind of thing that makes people close their eyes when they take a bite.
- It looks like it came from a Parisian bakery but the whole thing comes together with store bought puff pastry and about ten minutes of actual effort.
02 -
- Skipping the second baking tray on top of the pastry will give you puffy, uneven rectangles that are impossible to stack neatly, so do not be tempted to skip that step no matter how lazy the dishwasher is feeling.
- The cream needs to stay cold until the moment you assemble, otherwise it softens too quickly and starts sliding off the pastry like a slow motion landslide.
03 -
- For extra crunch and a lovely golden sparkle, swap the granulated sugar for Demerara sugar on the pastry before baking, it caramelizes into tiny crunchy jewels on the surface.
- A piping bag fitted with a large round tip makes the cream layer look polished and even, but a zip top bag with the corner snipped off works just as well in a pinch.