A primary Napoleon is a French dessert made from layers of puff pastry spread with a vanilla pastry cream. The top of the rectangle or triangular shaped sweet is drizzled with chocolate and or dusted with powdered sugar. Historians say that the Napoleon was created by a Danish royal chef in honor of a visit by a French emperor. And that Emperor Bonaparte's defeat at Waterloo was the corollary of an overindulgence of his now famed namesake pastry.
You may have a hard time distinguishing after eating a Napoleon what part is the best part. Is it the puff pastry or the pastry cream? I think all of the flavor combinations work very well together, so, I say all of it! This is a very quick and easy dessert recipe, and you will not spend all day in the kitchen. We are going to take the shortcut method and make it work for our recipe.
Knife Block
Making puff pastry from scratch is not an easy task to undertake. It is a labor and time arduous endeavor. Perfectly chilled ingredients, repeated rolling to the literal, thickness, and precision folding are the keys to perfect puff pastry. Not to mention working in a kitchen that is not humid. The truthful rolling and folding, along with the moisture in the butter, creates steam which causes the dough to puff and detach into the flaky layers that the pastry is known for. Some chef's propose everywhere from thirty minutes to two hours chilling time in the middle of rolling and folding. consider that the roll, fold and chill process is done four times, you need to block off two to eight hours to make puff pastry. Or, take a trip to the frozen food section of the grocery store and buy it.
Ready made puff pastry is ready in sheets or shells. To thaw it at room temperature takes about thirty minutes, in the refrigerator about four hours. It will keep in the refrigerator up to two days. When shaping the dough, work with one sheet at a time, refrigerating remaining sheets until ready to use. As with all dough cope as exiguous as possible. A pastry wheel, pizza cutter or sharp knife are the best utensils for cutting the dough. Cut edges should be crisp to keep the layers detach so that they puff during baking. always bake puff pastry in a accepted oven and keep in mind that darker baking sheets cook faster.
Vanilla pastry cream is the approved filling for a Napoleon. This is a very short method for production quick Napoleons.
1 container of frozen puff pastry dough
2 Packages of Vanilla instant pudding
1 Bottle of a good chocolate fudge or chocolate drizzle
3 Ounces of confectioners sugar
Prepare instant pudding agreeing to container directions. While pudding is chilling corollary directions for thawing, unfolding and baking puff pastry sheets. Cut into desired shape at bake at 400° for twelve minutes or until golden. Pay close concentration to baking time, sheets burn easily. Let cool to room temperature.
To assemble you will place a layer of pastry in lowest of a sheet pan. You will then gradually spread with a layer of pudding, then other layer of pastry. Repeat the layering process until ingredients are used up. You will then heat your chocolate fudge until it is at a pouring consistency. You will pour or drizzle over the tops of your Napoleons, and dust very lightly with the confectioners sugar. You will need a serrated knife to cut these into bars to sreve. Keep refrigerated until serving time.
If you want to substitute a low fat, or zero fat pudding in this recipe, there is still sufficient sugar to give it flavor with half or no fat in the pudding.
Quick Napoleon dessert Recipes