Mille-feuille

Measure 460 grams of flour and take 56 grams of it out to keep as utility flour.

Add four tablespoons of tasteless salad oil, two teaspoons of salt and the ice water without the ice, and mix.

Press the dough firmly and rapidly into a cushion without trying to make a smooth surface; the consistency should be pliable, not damp or sticky.

Work in the reserved utility flour if the dough is still damp and sticky.

Wrap in wax paper inside a plastic bag and refrigerate 40 minutes.

Beat 340 grams of butter under wax paper until softened.

Lightly flour the dough and push and pat it into a 16 by 8 inch rectangle, working with the heel of the hand to keep it cold.

Spread the butter over the top two thirds, leaving a one eighth inch border, so one third of the dough stays bare.

Fold the bare bottom third up to the middle, fold the buttered top down over it and rotate the dough a quarter turn counterclockwise.

Starting about an inch from the near edge, roll rapidly to within an inch of the far end, flouring pin and dough, until 16 inches long.

Fold the top and bottom edges in to meet at the centre, flouring any breaks, then fold together as if closing a book: eight layers of butter between nine layers of dough.

Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate 40 to 60 minutes until firmer and the gluten has relaxed.

Beat the dough crosswise and lengthwise, roll it out 16 by 8 inches, fold top and bottom to the centre and close like a book again.

Chill again 40 minutes to an hour and repeat to six turns in all, 648 layers.

Rest the dough in the fridge a minimum of two hours, or overnight.

Lightly butter two baking dishes at least 12 by 18 inches.

Roll the chilled pastry into a 14 inch rectangle and cut it in half crosswise; chill one half.

Roll the remaining piece rapidly into a 13 by 19 inch rectangle an eighth of an inch thick, move it onto the baking sheet and trim the edges. It warms and sticks within moments, so work fast.

Prick the pastry all over at eighth inch intervals with a pastry picker or fork and chill at least 30 minutes to relax the dough before baking.

Roll and form the second piece the same way, with flour on the surface and wax paper and flour on the rolling pin.

Cover each chilled sheet with a buttered baking sheet so the pastry rises as little as possible, and set the racks on upper and lower middle.

Bake 20 minutes, checking every five minutes, pricking again and pressing the top sheet back down; after another five minutes prick again and swap the trays between racks.

Take the covering sheets off for the last minute or so.

Apricot glaze: pass half a pound of apricot jam through a fine sieve into a saucepan with two tablespoons of sugar and boil until the last few drops off the spoon are sticky, then take off the heat.

Pastry cream: beat 170 grams of sugar gradually into the egg yolks until it reaches the ribbon stage and is pale yellow.

Boil 354 millilitres of milk.

Pour the boiling milk into the yolks in a thin stream of drops, then pour into the saucepan over moderately high heat, stirring with a wire whisk over the whole base; it turns lumpy as it comes to the boil and smooths out as it is beaten.

Beat in 77 grams of flour, passing it through a sieve into the pan so it does not stay lumped.

Melt in 15 grams of butter and add a tablespoon and a half of vanilla.

Bring to a boil, turn it down and cook very slowly two to three minutes, then off the heat.

Cut off the over-toasted parts and even the sides and ends of the baked pastry, then divide each sheet into three strips.

Reheat the apricot glaze to liquefy it and paint the tops of six strips, working carefully because the pastry is fragile.

Spread pastry cream over one glazed strip with an offset spatula, set a second glazed strip on top, spread more filling and finish with the third strip.

Variation, Napoleon: put three tablespoons of corn syrup, a quarter teaspoon of cream of tartar, 236 grams of water and 680 grams of sugar in a saucepan; shake the pan by the handle and do not stir the sugar.

Variation: swirl until the liquid boils and goes from cloudy to perfectly clear, put the cap on, raise the heat to high and boil several minutes.

Variation: insert a sugar thermometer and boil to 238F.

Variation: pour immediately into a tray and cool about 10 minutes, until pressing it lightly wrinkles the surface.

Variation: knead vigorously with a scraper spatula, pushing it into a mass and spreading it out again, five to ten minutes, until it is a crumbly snow white mass; then leave it five minutes.

Variation: stir about half the fondant, roughly a cup, with two tablespoons of brandy over simmering water until perfectly smooth and coating the spoon heavily.

Variation: pour the fondant over the assembled pastry at once in as even a layer as possible.

Variation: dissolve a tablespoon of instant coffee in three tablespoons of water over a double boiler, add the chocolate, cover it off the heat a few minutes and then stir vigorously; if it seizes, set it back over the hot water and add a tablespoon of boiling water.

Variation: while the chocolate is still warm squeeze lines of it about one inch apart over the fondant, then draw the dull edge of a knife down across the middle and another line in the opposite direction on each side.

For the mille-feuille, sprinkle icing sugar over the top through a sieve in a band two inches wide.