Lemon Ricotta Puff Pastry Mille Feuille (Printable)

Crisp puff pastry layered with creamy lemon ricotta filling for a stunning French-inspired dessert.

# What You'll Need:

→ Puff Pastry

01 - 2 sheets all-butter puff pastry (about 8.8 oz each), thawed if frozen

→ Lemon Ricotta Filling

02 - 14 oz ricotta cheese
03 - ⅓ cup powdered sugar (about 2.1 oz)
04 - Zest of 2 lemons
05 - Juice of 1 lemon
06 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
07 - ½ cup heavy cream

→ Decoration

08 - 2 tbsp powdered sugar, for dusting
09 - Lemon zest curls, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Place the puff pastry sheets onto the prepared baking sheets. Prick the dough all over with a fork to prevent excessive puffing. Cover each sheet with another piece of parchment paper and place a second baking sheet on top to weigh it down during baking.
03 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Remove the top baking sheet and parchment layer, then allow the pastry to cool completely.
04 - While the pastry cools, combine the ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
05 - In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the lemon ricotta mixture until fully incorporated. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
06 - Once the pastry sheets are completely cool, carefully trim the edges and cut each sheet into 3 equal rectangles, yielding 6 total pieces.
07 - Place one pastry rectangle on a serving plate. Spread one-third of the lemon ricotta filling evenly over the top. Add a second pastry layer and spread another third of the filling. Finish with the third pastry layer on top. Repeat with the remaining pastry rectangles and filling to build a second mille feuille.
08 - Lightly dust the top of each assembled mille feuille with powdered sugar. Garnish with lemon zest curls if desired. Chill for at least 30 minutes before slicing to allow the layers to set. Serve cold.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like it came from a Parisian patisserie but the steps are surprisingly approachable once you stop overthinking them.
  • The lemon ricotta filling is lighter than traditional pastry cream and honestly I could eat it by the spoonful straight from the bowl.
02 -
  • I once assembled this four hours ahead and the bottom pastry layer turned into a soggy disappointment so truly, for the crispest result, assemble no more than an hour before serving.
  • Weighing down the pastry with a second baking sheet during baking was a trick I learned from a pastry chef friend and it completely changed the texture from puffy and uneven to perfectly flat and shatteringly crisp.
03 -
  • Freeze the trimmed pastry rectangles uncovered for ten minutes before assembling because firmer layers are dramatically easier to handle and stack without cracking.
  • Use a vegetable peeler to create long elegant lemon zest curls by running it along a lemon in one smooth motion and then curling the strips around a thin skewer while they are still fresh.

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