Apple Napoleons Recipes

APPLE HASH NAPOLEON

Steps:

• Preheat convection oven to 275 degrees F.
• Cover a sheet pan with a silpat mat or parchment paper. Using a Japanese mandoline, julienne the apple into thin sticks, like potato sticks. Make little nests or haystacks of the sticks on the silpat, about 3 inches in diameter.
• Spatter the haystacks with melted clarified butter and douse with powdered sugar from a shaker. Bake in a convection oven until dry and crisp, about 60 to 75 minutes. Or use a fruit dehydrator to dry them out. Store them in an airtight container until ready to serve.
• To make the sauce, place the cider in a small saucepan, and bring it to a simmer. Continue cooking until it becomes a thick golden syrup, about 1 hour. Let cool until ready to serve. You can refrigerate it if made the day before.
• To serve the dessert, place one apple hash on a dessert plate, top it with a scoop of ice cream, then carefully place another piece of hash on top as a lid. Press down gently. Spoon a "swoosh" of cider reduction on the plate and sprinkle the whole thing with powdered sugar.
• Put a large mixing bowl in the freezer to chill.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the half-and-half, cream, vanilla bean, and star anise to a simmer, stirring occasionally to make sure the mixture doesn?t burn or stick to the bottom of the pan.
• In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. When the cream mixture reaches a fast simmer turn it off, do not let it boil!
• In a thin stream, whisk half of it into the egg yolk mixture. Then pour the egg-cream mixture into the saucepan containing the rest of the cream mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. At 160 degrees F, the mixture will give off a puff of steam. When the mixture reaches 180 degrees, it will be thickened and creamy, like eggnog. If you don?t have a thermometer, test it by dipping a wooden spoon into the mixture. Run your finger down the back of the spoon. If the stripe remains clear, the mixture is ready, if the edges blur, it is not quite thick enough yet. When it is ready, quickly remove from the heat.
• Meanwhile, remove the bowl from the freezer, put 4 handfuls of ice cubes in the bottom, and add cold water to cover. Rest a smaller bowl in the ice water.
• Strain the cream mixture through a fine sieve to remove the vanilla bean pieces and star anise, into a smaller bowl. Stir in the homemade applesauce and chill 3 hours, then freeze according to the directions for your ice cream maker.
• Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, "American Brasserie? by Gale Gand, Rick Tramonto, Julia Moskin, MacMillian, Publishers, 1997

SPICED APPLE NAPOLEONS WITH POMEGRANATE CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl. Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface. Brush with half of melted butter. Sprinkle with half of cinnamon sugar. Top with second phyllo sheet. Brush with remaining butter. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar. Cut phyllo lengthwise in half; place 1 half atop other. Cut phyllo crosswise into 3 squares. Cut each square into 4 triangles for a total of 12 triangles. Place triangles on large baking sheet. Bake until deep golden, about 8 minutes. Cool on sheet.
• Stir 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 cup water and allspice in large saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil. Add apples; reduce heat and simmer until tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Mix in bourbon. Mix cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in small bowl; add to apple mixture and stir until liquid thickens slightly and mixture boils, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. (Phyllo triangles and apple mixture can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover separately. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm apple mixture over low heat before using.)
• Stir 1/2 cup water and brown sugar in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil until slightly reduced, about 6 minutes. Add pomegranate molasses and boil until syrupy, about 4 minutes. Cool. Place 1 phyllo triangle on each of 6 plates. Top each with warm apple mixture. Top each with another phyllo triangle. Drizzle pomegranate sauce over.

APPLE PIE NAPOLEON

Steps:

• Bake apple pie per package instructions. Let cool. Once cooled, break up pie with a fork.
• Thaw puff pastry sheet at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Unfold puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 strips along the fold marks. Place strips 2-inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden. Remove from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.
• In a small bowl combine whipped topping and cinnamon sugar. Set aside.
• In a small mixing bowl, beat on low speed with an electric mixer the cream cheese and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add caramel creme liqueur and beat until smooth.
• Place one baked puff pastry sheet on a platter. With the back of a fork, gently push down center of the pastry creating a trough for filling. Spoon in some broken-up apple pie, and then layer with 1 cup of whipped topping mixture. Repeat with next layer. Top with baked pastry sheet. Drizzle with glaze and serve.