Millefeuille (pronounced "meel-foy") means "a thousand leaves" in French, referring to the countless flaky layers in puff pastry. As a dessert, it is built from multiple sheets of crisp puff pastry sandwiched with cream and fruit into a neat tower. The name reflects the structure: each layer of pastry should be identifiably distinct, not soggy or merged. Success depends on discipline - uniform cutting, precise baking and, critically, temperature control during assembly. If any component is warm when you build the tower, the cream melts and the whole structure fails. It is as much a test of planning as it is of pastry skill.