Le Coupable (“The Culprit”)
“When I received the finished copies [of Edible French] from the editor,” Melina says, “it was a dream come true. That night, to celebrate, my family of six gathered around a beautiful Napoleon we make for special occasions. My husband nicknamed the dessert “The Culprit” because it is clearly a decadent treat and we find ourselves guilty of polishing it off every time! It is filled with fluffy crème de marron, a sweetened chestnut puree mixed with whipped cream and sandwiched between three layers of puff pastry. On top of the dessert we like to emulate the classic millefeuille decoration you’ll see in traditional French pastry shops, a chevron pattern drawn with chocolate on a layer of sugar icing. It’s very easy to do but looks quite fancy, and my children love to watch.”
- Servings Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 rectangular sheet store-bought, all-butter puff pastry, 300 grams (10½ ounces), thawed if frozen, or Clotilde’s own easy recipe*
Filling:
- 300 grams (10½ ounces) sweetened chestnut puree
- 200 grams (¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon) whipping cream
Icing:
- 65 grams (½ cup) icing (confectioners) sugar
- 15 grams (½ ounce) bittersweet chocolate, melted
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out the puff pastry thinly and cut into three equal rectangles. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet, and prick all over with a fork. Top with another sheet of parchment paper and a second baking sheet, to prevent the puff pastry from rising, and bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool completely.
2. In a medium bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form, and fold into the chestnut puree. Arrange one puff pastry rectangle on a serving platter. Spread half of the chestnut filling on it, top with a second rectangle, spread with the remaining filling, and top with the final rectangle. Put the confectioner’s sugar in a bowl and whisk in 2 teaspoons water to form a stiff but spreadable icing. Spread evenly over the top of the cake.
3. Using a teaspoon, pour parallel lines of melted chocolate in a thin stream on the icing. With the tip of a knife or a skewer, draw perpendicular lines in the icing to break the chocolate lines into a chevron pattern.
4. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving; use a serrated bread knife to slice the cake as neatly as possible.
Clotilde Dusoulier and Melina Josserand
Clotilde Dusoulier is the 30-something Parisienne behind the award-winning food blog Chocolate & Zucchini. Her focus is on fresh, colorful, and seasonal foods, making room for both wholesome, nourishing dishes and sweet treats. She contributes to food and travel magazines internationally, and is the author of four books. She lives in Montmartre with her husband and their two sons.
Mélina is a mother of four, lawyer, and watercolour artist. Born and raised in France in the back of an antique gallery, she studied law and practiced in the US before moving to London. Originals of her work can be found on her blog www.melinart.co.uk
Their book “Edible French” about French food idioms is now available.
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