Napoleons

* Exported from MasterCook *

Napoleons

Recipe By : David Rosengarten
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Desserts Taste

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound frozen puff pastry -- thawed
Flour for rolling out pastry
Filling:
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean -- slit lengthwise
9 egg yolks -- at room temperature
Topping:
Confectioner's sugar -- to taste

On a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry to 1/16-inch thick.
Transfer pastry to a parchment-lined sheet pan and trim edges. With a fork
prick surface all over and chill for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cover pastry with a second piece of
parchment paper and weight down with a second sheet pan. Bake pastry for 10
minutes. Remove top sheet pan and parchment and continue
to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer
pastry to a cooling rack.

Make the filling:
In a heavy saucepan combine the heavy cream, milk, and sugar. Using a
knife scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into the milk mixture and add the
whole bean. Bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat an
d allow to steep for one hour. Discard the bean or reserve for
another use.

Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees. Whisk the yolks into the cooled
milk mixture and strain through a fine sieve into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Place the dish in a larger roasting pan and add enough h
ot water to reach halfway up the side of the dish. Bake custard for
3/4 to 1 hour until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. let cool;
cover and chill for several hours or overnight.

To assemble:
Transfer pastry to a flat surface. Using a ruler measure out three 3
1/2 x 11-inch strips. With a serrated knife carefully cut the pastry using a
gentle sawing motion. With a paring knife cut the cus
tard into two 3 1/2 x 11-inch strips and cut each strip in half
crosswise. With a long, wide offset spatula transfer a piece of custard onto a
strip of pastry, covering half of it. Transfer a second
piece of custard to fill the first layer. Top with a second strip of
pastry, smooth side up, and repeat process. If necessary, smooth the sides of
the napoleon with a knife so that they are stacked n
eatly.

Using a serrated knife carefully slice the napoleon into individual
serving pieces. Sift confectioner's sugar over the napoleon to form a thick
coating. Heat skewers on stovetop burner until red-hot
and brand the sugar with cross hatch marks.

From Taste Show # 4853 by Heat skewers on on skewHeat, ers on




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