Napoleons With Black Raspberries Recipes

RASPBERRY NAPOLEONS DESSERT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll out 1 puff pastry sheet on a floured work surface until it is 1/4-inch thick. Cut into 16 squares. Transfer to a baking sheet and prick all over with a fork. Repeat with remaining puff pastry sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned on the top and bottom, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool, about 10 minutes.
• Combine cream cheese, white sugar, heavy cream, and lemon zest in a bowl. Mix by hand until smooth and glossy. Dollop cream cheese mixture over 16 squares. Spread out cream cheese mixture and cover with raspberries. Top with the remaining puff pastry squares and dust with confectioners' sugar.

CHOCOLATE-BERRY NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Roll out 1 puff pastry sheet into a 10-inch square; cut into 2 1/2-by-5-inch rectangles (8 total). Sandwich between 2 unlined rimmed baking sheets and bake at 400 degrees F until golden, 30 minutes. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Cool. Cook 1/3 cup milk, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a small skillet over medium heat, whisking, until thick. Stir in 2 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate; cool. Fold in 1 1/2 cups whipped cream. To assemble, layer 2 pastry rectangles with the chocolate cream and raspberries. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

NAPOLEONS WITH BLACK RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• Prepare the Puff Pastry.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle work surface with sugar. Roll dough into a rectangle 1/8 inch thick and, using a sharp knife or a pastry cutter, cut in half. Cut each half into thirds, keeping rectangles equal sized, each approximately 6 inches by 8 inches. Water-spray two baking sheets and place pastry rectangles on them. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Prick rectangles all over with fork tines. Place a wire rack over each set of pastry rectangles and bake until pastry reaches the top of the rack, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove rack and continue to bake until golden and evenly browned, about 5 to 10 minutes more. Cool completely on racks.
• Make pastry cream: Scald the milk, vanilla bean, and 1/4 cup sugar. Beat egg yolks with remaining sugar until thick. Sprinkle in flour and cornstarch, and continue beating until well mixed.
• Remove vanilla bean from milk. Beat half of the hot milk into yolk mixture. Return this to remaining hot milk and bring to a boil quickly, whisking very fast to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl to cool. Rub top of pastry cream with butter to prevent a skin from forming. Cover with plastic wrap and cool completely. Immediately before using, fold in softly whipped cream with a wooden spoon.
• To assemble, slice each rectangle horizontally. Place each bottom half on a serving plate. Top with a 1/2-inch layer of pastry cream and berries. Place the top half on top of berries and repeat process with remaining rectangles. Sprinkle top layer with confectioners' sugar. Garnish with berries and serve immediately.

PEAR AND BERRY NAPOLEON

Steps:

• For the Pears: Put wine, juice, cinnamon, lemon juice, and sugar substitute in a pot, and bring to a boil. Take off the heat and add some clear glaze to slightly thicken the mixture. Add the sliced pears to the mixture and cool.
• Pastry Cream: Bring to a boil the milk, margarine, and split vanilla bean. Combine eggbeaters, sugar, and cornstarch and add to boiled milk. Cook until thick. Fold pastry cream with some whipped cream.
• Napoleon Sheets: Cut phyllo into rectangle shape. Spray each layer with vegetable spray (4 layers total). Sprinkle top with sugar substitute and bake until golden brown. Each set of Napoleon requires 3 rectangles per order.
• Pear and Berry Napoleon Assembly: In the center of a plate, layer a dollop of pastry cream, a phyllo square, a dollop of cream and berries. Repeat with another phyllo square, pastry cream, and berries. Top with phyllo square and a light sprinkle of powdered sugar. Spoon pears around. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

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.

BERRY NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Place the raspberries, wine and raspberry liqueur in a blender; cover and process until pureed. Strain raspberry mixture, reserving juice; discard seeds. Set aside., Layer two sheets of phyllo dough on a baking sheet; brush with butter. Keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out. Repeat layers four times. Cut stack in half lengthwise, then cut widthwise, forming 12 rectangles. Repeat with remaining dough on three additional baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on pans on wire racks., In a large bowl, combine the berries, orange liqueur and 2 tablespoons reserved raspberry juice; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form., Drizzle 1 tablespoon remaining raspberry sauce over each serving plate. Place one phyllo rectangle over sauce; layer each with 1/4 cup berries and 2 tablespoons whipped cream. Top with remaining phyllo.

RASPBERRY NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Separate dough into 8 triangles. Cut each triangle in half into 2 triangles. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to cooling rack. Cool completely.
• Spread half of the pudding over eight triangles; top with half of the raspberries. Repeat layers. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate curls.

HEART-SHAPED RASPBERRY NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Place puff pastry on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and poke holes all over surface using the tines of a fork; top with a second piece of parchment paper. Place 2 baking sheets on top of parchment paper to weigh down; transfer to oven. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove puff pastry from oven and uncover; let cool completely. Using a 3 1/4-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut six hearts from puff pastry, reserving scraps.
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip with pastry cream. Place 1 heart-shaped piece of puff on each of two dessert plates. Pipe pastry cream over the surface of each heart, almost to the edge. Place raspberries around the perimeter of the pastry cream. Top each with a second puff pastry heart and repeat process. Top each with a third puff pastry heart.
• Crumble a little of the reserved puff pastry scraps and top Napoleons with crumbs. Dust tops with confectioners' sugar and pipe a little pastry cream in the center of each. Top with a raspberry and serve immediately.

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).

BERRY NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out pastry on lightly floured surface to 12-inch square. Cut out two 4x5-inch rectangles and transfer to ungreased cookie sheet (reserve remaining pastry for another use). Brush pastries with glaze. Mix sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom and sprinkle over pastries. Bake until puffed and brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.
• Drain syrup from raspberries into heavy small saucepan. Boil until thickened slightly, about 4 minutes. Combine raspberries and sliced strawberries in small bowl. Add reduced syrup and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cardamom. (Berry mixture can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Split each pastry into 2 layers. Place bottoms on plates. Layer with frozen yogurt, some of berry mixture, then pastry tops. Spoon a few berries atop each pastry and serve.

CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400ºF.
• Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface; cut along fold lines into 3 rectangles. Cut each rectangle crosswise into 4 smaller rectangles; place on baking sheet. Bake 15 min. or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• Meanwhile, melt 6 oz. chocolate as directed on package; set aside. Beat whipping cream in medium bowl with mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.
• Beat melted chocolate, cream cheese, powdered sugar and liqueur in large bowl with mixer on medium speed until well blended. Whisk in whipped cream.
• Split each pastry rectangle in half. Spread each bottom half with 3 Tbsp. chocolate mixture. Cover with raspberries and pastry tops. Melt remaining chocolate; drizzle over pastries.