Spiced poached pear and blackberry millefeuille

Method

1. Begin by poaching the pears. Put all the ingredients except the pears in a saucepan with 400ml water. Bring to a simmer, then add the pears.
2. Leave to gently simmer for 20-25 minutes until very tender, then remove from the heat and leave to cool completely, leaving the pears in the syrup. Chill in the fridge until needed.
3. Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5. Unroll the puff pastry sheet and use a rolling pin to gently stretch it out a little, keeping it on the baking paper it was wrapped in to stop it sticking to your work surface. Aim for the size of your biggest baking tray.
4. Line your biggest baking tray with baking paper, then carefully transfer the puff pastry onto it, removing the paper it came in. Use a fork to prick the pastry all over (see Know-how), then put another sheet of baking paper on top. Put another baking tray (ideally the same size) on top, then add a few things to weigh it down. You don’t need anything too heavy on top; a few baking dishes should do the job. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and very crisp.
5. Remove the baking dishes, tray and baking paper on top of the pastry, liberally dust the top with icing sugar, then return to the oven, uncovered, for another 5-8 minutes to caramelise the pastry and turn it a deep, dark golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
6. To make the crème mousseline, put the milk and vanilla in a small saucepan and heat until steaming (not boiling). Meanwhile, tip the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour into a mixing bowl and whisk until pale. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, then return the entire mixture to the pan and continue to whisk constantly over a low heat until it thickens enough to thickly coat the back of a spoon.
7. Remove the crème from the heat and beat in 60g of the butter. Cover, ensuring the cling film or wrap is directly touching the surface to prevent a skin from forming, then put in the fridge to chill fully.
8. Once the crème is fully chilled, use an electric mixer to beat the remaining butter until soft, light and fluffy. Add the chilled crème and beat again to create a crème mousseline. Transfer to the prepared piping bag.
9. Use a sharp serrated bread knife to carefully cut the caramelised pastry into 3 identical squares. The easiest way to do this is by cutting a square of baking paper for a template. Aim for 3 x 16cm squares, but this will depend on the size of your tray.
10. Don’t apply too much pressure when using the knife or you will crack the pastry; just make gentle sawing movements and allow gravity to do the work.
11. To assemble the millefeuille, remove the pears from the syrup (you can keep the syrup, reduce it down and use it in cocktails) and cut into 2cm chunks.
12. Save a half for decorating the top, if you like. Pipe a small dot of crème onto the base of your serving plate, then put a pastry square on top (the mousseline will hold it in place). Pipe wavy lines of mousseline to cover the square.
13. Arrange pieces of pear and blackberries on top.
14. Add another square of pastry on top and repeat the process with the mousseline and fruit.
15. Add the final pastry sheet.
16. Decorate with more fruit and the star anise used for poaching, if you like – you can pipe some mousseline on the top layer of pastry, then use it as a glue to hold the fruit in position.
17. Dust the top with icing sugar, then put in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up (see Eric’s Tips), before slicing using a hot, sharp knife.