The following combination of ingredients and their arrangement is similar to what I was served at Restaurant Patrick Jeffroy in October, 2001. Chef Jeffroy lightened his pastry cream with whipped cream rather than egg whites which yields a firmer result. He additionally applied a raspberry coulis around the final arrangement. mille-feuille aux crêpes et crème 54 fresh raspberries 1 order crème chiboust 1 order crêpes powdered sugar chopped pistachios 1. On each of 6 serving plates, arrange 3 raspberries in the center to form a triangle. Spoon some crème chiboust over the raspberries and place a single crêpe over the combination. 2. Repeat the previous step 2 more times, each time pointing the tip of the triangle in a different direction from the previous layer. Dust the last crêpe with powdered sugar before placing it on the stack. 3. Decorate the plates with some chopped pistachios. Yield: 6 servings. The addition of bergamot oil as a flavoring to this filling is the creation of Chef Patrick Jeffroy of Carantec, France. Additionally, he sieved the pastry cream after it cooled and then lightened it with whipped cream rather than egg whites. This produced a firmer filling than the recipe below. crème chiboust 2 eggs, separated 40 grams granulated sugar 20 grams flour 200 milliliters milk fine salt 8 drops bergamot oil 1. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and granulated sugar. Add flour and mix until smooth. In a small saucepan, bring milk to a boil. Whisk milk into egg mixture and then pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan. Return the saucepan to the heat and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat, transfer to a clean bowl, and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool completely before using. 2. Beat the egg whites with a little salt until firm. Fold the pastry cream into the egg whites. Flavor the mixture with the bergamot oil. 3. Chill until needed. Yield: 6 servings. Ref: Cuisine Actuelle, April 2000, page 6 and Patrick Jeffroy, Restaurant Patrick Jeffroy, Carantec, France, October 2001. crêpes 1 tablespoon melted butter powdered sugar crepe batter: 60 grams all-purpose flour 15 grams finely granulated sugar 1 pinch fine salt 1 egg, beaten 140 milliliters milk 1/2 tablespoon melted butter 1. For crepe batter: mix flour, sugar, and salt. Add egg and mix with a wooden spoon. Slowly add milk and mix until smooth. Incorporate melted butter. Set batter aside for an hour before using. 2. Preheat a large crepe pan. Using 90-ml portions of batter, make the 10-inch diameter crepes. Set aside to cool. 3. Preheat oven to 300 °F. 4. Lay a crepe on a sheet of parchment paper, worst-side-up. Brush the surface with melted butter. Sprinkle the buttered surface with powdered sugar. Fold the crepe in half and press the surfaces tightly together. Set aside and repeat for the other crepes. 5. Cut each semi-circular crepe into 6 equal sectors. Trim the curve off each sector to make 6 isosceles triangles. Arrange the triangles on a baking sheet lined with a silicon baking liner, rough side up. Repeat for the other crepes. Cover the crepe triangles with an additional silicon baking liner, rough side down, to prevent curling. 6. Bake for about 60 minutes until golden. Transfer the cooked crepes to a smooth, cool surface, such as a counter top, to cool. Weight flat with a cool baking sheet to prevent curling. 7. Store the cooked crepes in an air-tight container. Yield: 6 servings (18 pieces). Ref: Patrick Joffroy, Restaurant Patrick Jeffroy, Carantec, France, October, 2001 and Cuisiner!, February 1997, page 16. © 2002 Peter Hertzmann, Inc. All rights reserved.