Lemon Napoleons Recipes

LEMON CREAM FILLO NAPOLEON

Steps:

• Place the lemon zest in a medium bowl and set aside. Spoon 4 tablespoons of the lemon juice into a very small bowl, sprinkle with the gelatin and set aside to thicken and almost set.
• Place the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, salt, and remaining lemon juice in the bowl with the lemon zest and whisk together. Pour into a saucepan, add the butter and cook over med-low heat, whisking constantly, until the custard begins to thicken. Just before boiling remove from the heat and add the now thickened lemon gelatin mixture. Pour the whole mixture through a fine mesh strainer set over a medium bowl. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap and chill overnight until set quite firm.
• The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Unwrap the sheets of fillo and cover with damp cloth or a piece of plastic wrap. You should work quickly to avoid the fillo drying out. Lay two pieces of parchment paper measuring about 16 by 11-inches out on large chopping board. Brush each piece of paper with a thin layer of butter and sift two tablespoons of confectioners' sugar onto each one.
• Lay a sheet of fillo onto each of the papers and now brush that with butter also. Continue to layer the fillo and butter on each stack to give 4 fillo layers in total, finishing with a butter layer. Finally, sift 2 tablespoons of confectioners' sugar on top of each. Lay another sheet of parchment paper measuring 16 by 11-inches on top and use this as a guide to trim the pastry edges using a sharp knife.
• Next, remove the top sheet of parchment and using the knife, divide each fillo stack in half down the length (to give four 5.5-inches wide and 16-inches long rectangles). Make light score marks (not cutting through) with the knife across the opposite way and at 2-inch intervals to give 8 portion marks when serving. Slide each stack onto a sheet pan, butter the top sheets of parchment paper and place them butter side down on top. Finally, place another sheet pan on top of each stack (which will ensure the pastry will cook thin and crispy).
• Bake for 15 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Remove the top sheet pans and allow the pastries to cool completely.
• To assemble, set one long rectangle onto a large platter and spread over 1/4 of the lemon cream evenly. Continue to layer up the fillo and lemon cream ending with a fillo top, to give 4 fillo layers and 3 lemon cream layers. There should be a remaining 1/4 of lemon cream still in the bowl to make a sauce with. To do this, add a 1/4 cup of hot tap water and whisk until smooth and drizzly in consistency.
• Finally, prepare the blackberries. Tip them into a small bowl and lightly crush them with a fork to bring out their juices. Add 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar and toss together.
• Using a very sharp knife carefully cut the Napoleon into 8 portions using the score marks as a guide. Drizzle some lemon sauce on each serving plate and place a portion of Napoleon in the center of each one. Spoon the crushed blackberries around and serve at once.

LEMON NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Make curd:
• Whisk sugar, eggs and yolks in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Mix in lemon juice, butter and peel. Whisk over medium-low heat until mixture thickens and just begins to bubble at edges, about 6 minutes (do not boil). Transfer to small bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd. Chill until cold,at least 2 hours. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Make phyllo pastries:
• Position 1 rack in bottom third and 1 rack in center of over; preheat to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon in bowl.
• Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface (cover remaining phyllo with plastic and damp cloth). Brush phyllo with butter; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar. Top with second phyllo sheet. Brush with gutter; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar. Repeat layering with remaining 4 phyllo sheets, butter and cinnamon sugar. Trim phyllo stack to 12 inches wide by 18 inches long. Cut stack into four 3-inch-wide by 18-inch-long strips. Cut each strip into six 3-inch squares, forming twenty-four squares. Transfer to baking sheets.
• Bake phyllo squares 6 minutes. Switch sheets on racks and bake until deep golden brown,about 4 minutes longer. Cool pastries on baking sheets.
• Beat cream, 2 teaspoons sugar and vanilla in medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Arrange 8 pastries on work surface. Spoon curd into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe curd in parallel lines onto each pastry. Top each with second pastry. Spoon whipped cream into another pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe cream atop second pasties. Top each with third pastry. Transfer to platter. (Can be made 2 hours ahead; chill)
• Lightly dust napoleons with powdered sugar and serve.

LEMON CREAM NAPOLEON

Steps:

• In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine ricotta, lemon pudding and sour cream. Process until smooth. Add lemon zest and process for 1 minute. Mix until pudding consistency.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with kitchen parchment.
• In a small bowl, combine honey and warm water. Stir until honey dissolves. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush wrappers on both sides with honey water. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for approximately 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven, let cool.
• To serve, place one wrapper on a plate and spoon a dollop of pudding mixture. Repeat with another layer. Mix 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the whipped topping. Top third wrapper with a dollop of whipped topping. Garnish with a sprinkle of lemon zest.

CLASSIC FRENCH NAPOLEON RECIPE - (3.9/5)

Steps:

• PUFF PASTRY: Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or plain brown paper; set aside. Unfold puff pastry sheet and trim edges to a 9-inch square. Cut pastry into nine 3-inch squares. Transfer pastry squares to the prepared baking sheets; prick pastry. Bake in a preheated oven for 18-23 minutes, or until golden. (Or bake according to package directions.) Carefully remove pastries from baking sheet. Cool on a rack. CREAM FILLING: In a heavy, medium saucepan stir together sugar, flour, and salt. Slowly stir in half-and-half or light cream. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Slowly stir about half of the hot mixture into beaten egg yolks. Return all to saucepan. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Cover surface with plastic wrap and cool just until warm without stirring. In a small mixing bowl beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream into warm pastry cream. GLAZE: In a medium mixing bowl combine confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Stir in enough boiling water to make a glaze of spreading consistency; set aside. ASSEMBLY: Use the tines of a fork to separate each pastry square horizontally into 3 layers. Note: If Using Fruit Jam or Preserves: Spread about 1 teaspoon of the raspberry or strawberry jam or preserves on each bottom layer. Spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the pastry cream over raspberry preserves or if not using a layer of fruit jam or preserves, spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the pastry cream on the bottom layer and preceed as follows: Top with middle pastry layers. Spread another 1 1/2 tablespoons of the pastry cream on each middle layer. Finally, top with remaining pastry layers. Spread glaze over top of napoleons, then drizzle with melted chocolate. Chill up to 1 hour.

NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Roll out three sheets of puff pastry, each to the same size and a thickness of 1/8 inch. Prick with a fork, and place on baking sheets.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 10 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, combine cornstarch and 1/2 cup milk with fingers until smooth. Stir in cake flour and half the sugar. Beat in egg yolks. Set aside.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, bring remaining milk and remaining sugar to a rolling boil. Stir in egg yolk mixture; continue stirring and bring to a boil again. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Let cool.
• In a small saucepan or in the microwave, heat the jam until runny.
• Place one sheet of pastry on a board. Spread with cooled pastry cream to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Place a second pastry sheet over the cream. Brush with fruit glaze. Spread remaining pastry cream over glaze. Top with final pastry sheet and gently compress layers, using a baking sheet to press.
• To make icing, beat together confectioners' sugar and lemon juice with enough of the egg whites to make a creamy consistency like that of a cream soup. Working quickly, color a small portion of the frosting with red food coloring. Frost the top and sides of the assembled pastry with white icing. Pipe parallel lines of red icing on top of dessert, then draw a pick or knife crosswise through icing to make the traditional design. Let icing set before cutting into bars.

LEMON CURD NAPOLEON

Steps:

• Prepare the lemon curd: In the bottom of a double-boiler, pour several inches of water, and bring to a simmer. In the top of the double-boiler, combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, and zest. Add the sugar, and whisk to blend. Fit the pans together, and whisk the egg mixture constantly until thickened, about 4 minutes.
• Remove the pans from the heat, and whisk in the butter, a piece at a time, until completely incorporated. Place the top of the double-boiler in a large bowl of ice water, and stir frequently until chilled. Transfer to a covered container, and refrigerate. The curd may be stored, refrigerated, for up to three days.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the phyllo sheets on a dry work surface, and cover with a slightly dampened cloth. Remove one phyllo sheet, and lightly brush with clarified butter. Top with two more sheets, brushing each with butter. Make a second stack with the remainign three sheets of phyllo, buttering each one. Using a sharp, round 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out 12 circles from each stack. Sprinkle generously with confectioners' sugar, and transfer to a baking sheet. Cover phyllo disks with a sheet of parchment paper, and fit another baking sheet on top. Bake until golden, about 5 minutes; do not overcook. Remove top baking sheet and parchment paper, and allow phyllo disks to cool.
• To assemble: Place a dab of lemon curd in the center of each plate, and press a phyllo disk on top of it. Top the phyllo with 1 tablespoon of lemon curd. Arrange four raspberries on the curd. Top with another phyllo disk, more lemon curd, and raspberries, continuing until each napoleon has three layers of berries. Top with a phyllo disk, and sprinkle with confectioners sugar. Serve immediately.

LEMON CREAM NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine ricotta, lemon pudding and sour cream. Process until smooth.
• Add lemon zest and process for 1 minute. Mix until pudding consistency.
• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Line baking sheet with kitchen parchment.
• In a small bowl, combine honey and warm water. Stir until honey dissolves.
• Using a pastry brush, lightly brush wrappers on both sides with honey water.
• Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Bake for approximately 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven, let cool.
• To serve, place one wrapper on a plate and spoon a dollop of pudding mixture.
• Repeat with another layer.
• Mix 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the whipped topping.
• Top third wrapper with a dollop of whipped topping.
• Garnish with a sprinkle of lemon zest.

BERRY NAPOLEON WITH LEMON CURD

Steps:

• FOR THE PASTRY: Make a well in the flour. Add the cornstarch. Cut the butter in 1 1/2 Tablespoon chunks. Add the salt. Mash the butter into the flour with your fingers until the particles of butter are the size of whole macadamia nuts.
• Mix in the ice water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, introducing it with your fingertips. Press the small balls of dough that will form into a large one. With the heel of your hand, lightly push the ball of dough forward into large pieces and then gather it into a ball. Shape into a rectangle 6 1/2 inches by 4 1/2 inches. Refrigerate for 1 hour, preferably in the vegetable crisper.
• Roll the dough 6 inches away from you and then 6 inches toward you, keeping it 6 1/2 inches wide and never less that 1/3 inch thick. Do not bear down on the dough. Roll it out parallel to the countertop in 1 or 2 strokes. If the dough becomes wider than 6 1/2 inches, block it on each side by place the rolling pin parallel to the edge of the dough and tapping it gently toward the dough. The dough edge will straighten. Fold the dough in 3 folds. Turn the dough 90 degrees so it looks like a book ready to be opened.
• With a bit of pressure applied with the rolling pin at the top and bottom seams, pinch the layers of dough slightly to prevent the butter from escaping later. Roll out the dough again and fold it a second time, exactly as described above.
• You will have given it two turns. If the package of dough is less than 6 inches wide, tap it gently with the rolling pin to flatten it. To keep track of the turns, punch small depressions on the surface of the dough with your fingertips.
• Put the dough on a lightly floured plate. Cover it loosely with a sheet of Saran Wrap (plastic wrap) and put it to cool in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator. The dough should rest for at least 1 hour.
• Finish the dough by giving it two more series of two turns, exactly as described above. Rest the dough for 30 minutes between each series of turns. After turns 3 and 4, punch 4 small depressions on the surface of the dough; after turns 5 and 6, trace an X. That will remind you that the pastry is finished and may be used anytime.
• Roll out after chilling deeply for 1 to 2 hours and cut in the shape that you desire.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cut the puff pastry in half. Roll each half into 2 sheets, each 1/8 inch thick and as wide and long as you can make it. Bake between 2 black baking sheets for 15 minutes until brown.
• Cool and cut into rectangles 1 inch by 3 inches.
• TO PREPARE THE LEMON CURD: Beat the egg yolks with the sugar in an electric mixer until extremely thick. The mixture should form a heavy ribbon. Transfer to a large saucepan. Gradually add the lemon juice as you beat over VERY LOW HEAT, until the curd thickens heavily. Add all the rinds and gradually the melted butter, and cool completely.
• TO BUILD THE NAPOLEONS: Put the lemon curd into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/3 inch wide, round plain nozzle. Cover 1 rectangle of pastry with an even layer of curd. Top that layer with a second rectangle of pastry. Cover that second rectangle with curd and top with a third rectangle of pastry. Powder each napoleon with confectioner's sugar.
• Thaw the raspberries. Remove half of their syrup. Blend to a puree in the blender and strain to discard all seeds. To serve, put one napoleon on a desert plate and surround with raspberry puree. This recipe will make 8 to 10 beautiful napoleons.
• VARIATION: Fresh Berry Napoleons: Instead of using just lemon curd, try the following idea. Pipe the lemon curd between the layers, as in the recipe, but add strawberries on the first layer, blueberries on the second, and raspberries on the third. Do not serve with the raspberry sauce; the berries will make their own sauce as you eat the napoleons.
• Madeleine Cooks.
• If you cannot find Meyer lemons, you can substitute Eureka or Lisbon lemons.
• Meyer lemon is a hybrid, a cross between a regular lemon and either an orange or a mandarin. They're sometimes smaller than a regular lemon, rounder in shape, with a thin, soft, and smooth rind which ranges from greenish when slightly immature to a rich yellow-orange when fully ripe. The rind lacks the typical lemon peel oil aroma and the pulp is darker yellow and less acidic than a regular lemon. The complex flavor and aroma hints of sweet lime, lemon and mandarin.
• Use it for most purposes as you would a regular lemon. It's perfect for a soufflé or lemon tart and, because it's sweeter than a regular lemon, makes good lemonade requiring less sugar. On the other hand, when you want a more acidic lemon taste, as in a vinaigrette or marinade, you're probably better off using a regular lemon.

LEMON NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Unwrap the sheets of fillo and cover with damp cloth or a piece of plastic wrap. You should work quickly to avoid the fillo drying out. Lay two pieces of parchment paper measuring about 16 by 11-inches out on large chopping board. Brush each piece of paper with a thin layer of butter and sift two tablespoons of confectioners' sugar onto each one. Lay a sheet of fillo onto each of the papers and now brush that with butter also. Continue to layer the fillo and butter on each stack to give 4 fillo layers in total, finishing with a butter layer. Finally, sift 2 tablespoons of confectioners' sugar on top of each. Lay another sheet of parchment paper measuring 16 by 11-inches on top and use this as a guide to trim the pastry edges using a sharp knife. Next, remove the top sheet of parchment and using the knife, divide each fillo stack in half down the length (to give four 5.5-inches wide and 16-inches long rectangles). Make light score marks (not cutting through) with the knife across the opposite way and at 2-inch intervals to give 8 portion marks when serving. Slide each stack onto a sheet pan, butter the top sheets of parchment paper and place them butter side down on top. Finally, place another sheet pan on top of each stack (which will ensure the pastry will cook thin and crispy). Bake for 15 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Remove the top sheet pans and allow the pastries to cool completely. To assemble, set one long rectangle onto a large platter and spread over 1/4 of the lemon curd evenly. Continue to layer up the fillo and lemon curd ending with a fillo top, to give 4 fillo layers and 3 lemon curd layers. Using a very sharp knife carefully cut the Napoleon into 8 portions using the score marks as a guide. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and serve at once.

LEMON CREAM AND RASPBERRY PHYLLO NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• For Phyllo Squares:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil 2 large baking sheets. Stack phyllo sheets on work surface. Trim to 10 1/2-inch square (reserve scraps for another use). Place 1 phyllo square on work surface (cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap and damp kitchen towel). Sprinkle with 1 generous teaspoon sugar. Top with second phyllo square. Brush lightly with melted unsalted butter. Sprinkle with 1 generous teaspoon sugar. Top with third phyllo square. Sprinkle with 1 generous teaspoon sugar. Cut phyllo stack into 9 equal stacked squares. Arrange stacked phyllo squares an prepared baking sheet. Repeat layering and cutting with remaining 3 phyllo sheets, sugar and butter making total of 18 stacked phyllo squares. Bake until phyllo is golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to racks and cool completely.
• For Lemon Cream:
• Beat cream, 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered sugar and vanilla in large bowl until medium peaks form. Whisk lemon curd in another medium bowl until smooth. Add to cream mixture. Beat to stiff peaks.
• Spread 1 generous tablespoon lemon cream on each of 6 stacked phyllo squares. Top each with 6 raspberries. Layer each with 6 raspberries. Layer each with 1 phyllo square, 1 more tablespoon lemon cream and 6 raspberries (save any remaining lemon cream for another use). Top each with 1 phyllo square. Sift powdered sugar over desserts. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover loosely and refrigerate).