Dark cherry millefeuille

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.

2. Scatter the worktop with flour and roll out the pastry thinly to a large rectangle about 35x30cm/14x12in.

3. Cut into three 10x35cm/4x14in strips. Place the three long pieces of pastry onto the lined baking sheet and prick each piece of pastry with a fork. Place a large sheet of baking paper on top of the pastry and place a heavy baking sheet on top to weigh the pastry down.

4. Bake for about 18–20 minutes until pale golden and crisp. Remove from the baking sheet and set aside until completely cold.

5. For the feathering, measure 3 tbsp of the cherry jam into a small saucepan and heat until runny. Boil over a high heat, stirring for about 30 seconds, then sieve into a small bowl. Leave to cool and thicken slightly.

6. Measure the icing sugar into small bowl and mix with enough lemon juice to make a thick icing.

7. Spread the icing over one strip of cold pastry. Put the sieved jam into a small paper piping bag and pipe 10 evenly spaced stripes of jam widthways across the icing.

8. Feather the icing using a cocktail stick or skewer. Drag it through the jam in the opposite direction to the stripes in three evenly spaced lines to give a beautiful, feathered top. Leave to set.

9. To make the filling, whisk the cream until nearly soft peak stage. Add the lemon curd, zest and lemon juice and whisk again until light and airy. The lemon will thicken the cream, so make sure that you don’t over whisk.

10. Place one piece of pastry on a board or serving plate. Spread half the cream mixture on top, going right to the edges of the pastry. Spread another strip of pastry with cherry jam and top with the remaining cream. Stack the pastry layers with the iced pastry on top. Smooth the cream along the edges with a palette knife to make a neat finish.

11. To serve, use a serrated knife or a very sharp knife to cut the millefeuille into slices.