Discover our Mille-feuille Colomba, a creation by Dario Bivona, made to elevate our delicious Colomba.
Here, the Colomba slices are caramelized in the oven and enveloped in a smooth and tangy lemon diplomat cream. The whole is delicately punctuated with homemade candied orange cubes for a fruity and sunny touch.
This generous recipe yields 2 large mille-feuilles to share or 8 individual mille-feuilles.
Tools
Rolling pin
4 baking sheets (2 large and 2 medium)
Electric mixer
Piping bag
Ingredients
Crust
6 slices of classic Viva Panettone Colomba
125 ml (1/2 cup) melted butter
200 g (1 cup) white sugar
Lemon Diplomat Cream
Pastry cream
2 leaves (4 g) gelatin
200 ml (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) 2% milk
Zest of 2 lemons
2 egg yolks
75 g (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) sugar
25 g (¼ cup) cornstarch
15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice
45 ml (3 tbsp) limoncello
Whipped cream
200 ml (½ + 1/3 cups) very cold 35% cream
Garnish
Viva Panettone candied oranges cut into small cubes.
Decoration
Icing sugar
Preparation
1. Prepare the crust. Preheat the oven to 190 °C (375 °F) conventional. Cut 6 vertical slices of Colomba, 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Place 3 slices at a time between two sheets of parchment paper and flatten them with a rolling pin. Repeat the process with the remaining three Colomba slices.
2. Take two sheets of parchment paper previously used and cover two large baking sheets. Sprinkle half the sugar on each sheet of parchment paper. Brush the flattened Colomba slices with melted butter and arrange them buttered-side down on the parchment paper covered with sugar. Brush the other side of each slice, sprinkle with the remaining sugar, and cover with the other two sheets of parchment paper.
3. Cover with two medium baking sheets, press firmly, and bake in the center of the oven for 17-20 minutes. At the end of baking, the Colomba slices will be well caramelized, crispy, and crumbly.
4. Prepare the lemon diplomat cream, starting with the pastry cream. In a bowl filled with cold water, soak the gelatin leaves to hydrate them. Set aside. In a saucepan, pour the milk with the lemon zest and heat over medium heat.
5. In a mixing bowl, using a whisk, beat the egg yolks and sugar. Add the cornstarch and whisk well. Gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking vigorously. Return everything to the saucepan, bring to a boil while stirring constantly, add the lemon juice and limoncello, and cook until thickened. Squeeze the gelatin leaves by pressing them with your hands and add them to the cream. Mix well to incorporate the gelatin.
6. Pour the pastry cream into a container, cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the cream, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
7. Prepare the whipped cream. Whip the 35% cream. Set aside. Using an electric mixer, loosen the pastry cream for 1 minute until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream in 3 additions, whisking at high speed. Transfer the cream to a piping bag fitted with a medium flat nozzle.
8. Assemble the mille-feuille. Keep the caramelized slices as they are or cut each slice into 4 equal pieces widthwise. Pipe the diplomat cream onto a slice (or a piece). Add small diced candied orange here and there. Cover with another slice (or piece) and repeat the process. Place the last slice (or piece) and sprinkle with icing sugar. Assemble the second mille-feuille (or the other individual portions) in the same way.
Enjoy!
All that's left is to take out your best plate... and savor every bite!
