Preparation

Pastry:

1. - Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. - Brush the filo pastry sheets with a thin layer of melted butter and stack them one on top of the other.*
3. - Sprinkle with sugar and cut them into 18 pieces.
4. - Place on a baking sheet and bake for 2 to 3 minutes until the pastry sheets are golden.
5. - Set aside until completely cooled.
6. - * This step must be performed rapidly to avoid drying out the filo sheets.

Maple fudge:

1. - Soak the gelatine sheets in a large volume of cold water to soften them. Set aside.
2. - Put the eggs, brown sugar (or maple sugar), water and syrup in a bowl. Blend together with a whisk, then place the bowl over a pot of water at a light boil** for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
3. - Keep cooking until the candy thermometer reaches 82°C (180°F). If you do not have a candy thermometer, stop heating the mixture and take the bowl off the double boiler when the preparation begins to thicken slightly. The eggs must not be cooked, which is why the bowl must be taken off the double boiler at that time.
4. - Lift the bowl from the pot and incorporate the softened gelatine into the heated mixture after having pressed it between your palms to extract as much water as possible.
5. - Add the butter and salt and froth with a hand-held blender or an electric mixer for about 3 minutes.
6. - Spread the mixture on a sheet covered with plastic wrap and set aside in a cool place.
7. - ** Use the bowl like the top part of a double boiler by placing it on top of a pot full of simmering water.

Chocolate whipped cream:

1. - Mix the very cold cream, sugar and cocoa.
2. - Whip the mixture into firm peaks.
3. Assembling the mille-feuilles:
4. - When ready to serve, cut the fudge into 6 rectangles of the same shape and size as the filo pastry sheets.
5. - Place the maple fudge on top of 6 filo pastry sheets.
6. - Layer 6 more filo sheets on top of each and garnish with the chocolate whipped cream.
7. - Cover with the 6 remaining sheets and sprinkle with the icing sugar and cocoa.

A recipe from our chef, Nicole Anne Gagnon.