Strawberry Napoleons With Lemon Cream Recipes

STRAWBERRY NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Add the egg yolks to a medium sized bowl and gently beat them together. Set aside.
• Add the sugar, cornstarch and milk to a large saucepan and mix until smooth.
• Cook, stirring continuously, over medium-high heat until mixture begins to thicken and bubble.
• Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Add a little bit of milk mixture to the egg yolks and whisk together, then add egg mixture to milk mixture. This process ensures that you don't scramble the egg yolks.
• Place the pan back on the heat and bring to a light boil. Allow to boil for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
• Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth, then top with clear wrap that touches the top of the cream (it helps prevent a film from forming on top). Refrigerate until cool and ready to use.
• Remove the two sheets of puff pastry from the box and cut each set into 3 strips, for a total of 6 strips.
• Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 13 minutes.
• Remove them from the oven and allow to cool. Press the baked pastry down just a bit, if needed so they layers are relatively flat.
• To finish making the pastry cream, add the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to a large mixer bowl and whip until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream.
• To layer everything together, place a layer of puff pastry onto a serving plate and top it with some chopped strawberries.
• Pipe or spread some pastry cream on top of the berries, then repeat another layer of puff pastry, strawberries and pastry cream.
• Top off the pastry with a third pastry strip on top. Repeat the layering process with the remaining puff pastry, pastry cream and strawberries.
• To make the icing, add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Spread the icing onto the top of the completed napoleons.
• To add the whipped cream topping, add the ingredients to a large mixer bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form.
• Pipe swirls of the whipped cream on top of the napoleons and top with a few additional chopped berries. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

STRAWBERRY NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
• Thaw the sheet of puff pastry according to package instructions. When thawed, roll out on a lightly floured surface into a 10x15 inch rectangle. Gently transfer to prepared baking sheet. Cover with another piece of parchment paper and lay a second baking sheet (the same or slightly smaller size) on top to keep the pastry from puffing up unevenly. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden.
• While the puff pastry is thawing, combine the sliced strawberries, vanilla, honey, and salt in a bowl. Stir to combine well and let sit for at least 15 minutes and up to 30 to really let the juices marinate.
• When the puff pastry is done baking, cool for about 5 minutes then transfer to a large cutting board. Use a pizza wheel to cut the sheet into 12 equal pieces.
• Using an electric mixer, whip together the cream cheese/mascarpone and lemon juice until smooth. Add the whipping cream and sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in the lemon zest. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Put a large dollop of cream on 8 of the pastry squares. Top with a generous spoonful of strawberries and their juices.
• To assemble the Strawberry Napoleons, stack two pieces of pastry squares topped with berries and cream and then top with a plain pastry square. Dust with powdered sugar. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme (optional) and a drizzle of honey. Eat immediately.

STRAWBERRY NAPOLEONS WITH LEMON CREAM

Steps:

• Make lemon cream:
• Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in small bowl; let stand until soft, about 10 minutes. Combine lemonade concentrate, sugar, butter, yolks and egg in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water; whisk until candy thermometer registers 160°F., about 5 minutes. Remove from over water; whisk in gelatin mixture. Strain into large bowl. Set in larger bowl or ice water. Stir until mixture is cool and beginning to thicken but not set, about 10 minutes. Beat cream in medium bowl to firm peaks; fold into lemon mixture. Chill at least 4 hours.
• Make phyllo pastries:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface (cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap and damp towel). Brush phyllo with butter; sprinkle with sugar. Repeat with remaining phyllo, butter and sugar. Cut phyllo stack into twenty 3-inch squares. Transfer squares to baking sheets. Bake until dark golden, watching closely, about 12 minutes. Transfer to racks; cool. (Lemon cream and phyllo squares can be made 1 day ahead. Keep cream chilled. Store phyllo squares airtight at room temperature.)
• Make strawberry sauce:
• Simmer 2 1/4 cups sliced strawberries and 6 tablespoons sugar in heavy medium saucepan until strawberries are soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Purée in processor. Strain into small bowl. Chill.
• Place 10 phyllo squares on work surface. Transfer lemon cream to pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe lemon cream over squares, leaving 1/2-inch border on sides. Arrange sliced berries in single layer over cream. Pipe small rosette of cream atop berries. Top each with phyllo square. Pipe rosette of cream atop phyllo. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish each with whole berry. Serve with sauce.

STRAWBERRY NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Combine pudding mix and cold milk; fold in whipped topping. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Unfold pastry on a cool, lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 strips along fold marks, then cut each strip into four equal pieces. Place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet, and cool.
• Split pastries into 2 layers, setting the 8 best looking tops aside. Spread 8 bottom layers with dollops of the pudding mixture. Top each with a layer of strawberries, a small amount of pudding, and another pastry layer. (A small amount of the pudding mix on top of the berries will help keep the layers together.) Spread with remaining pudding mixture and strawberries, and top with remaining pastry layers (the best looking ones). Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

STRAWBERRY NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle work surface with some of granulated sugar. Unfold dough on top and sprinkle with more granulated sugar. If necessary, roll out to a 9 1/2-by-12 1/2-inch rectangle, slightly more than 1/8 inch thick. Using a sharp knife or pastry cutter, cut into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle. Transfer to a baking sheet; freeze 20 minutes. Cut into twelve 4-by-2 1/4-inch rectangles. Transfer to two baking sheets and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Prick rectangles all over with a fork. Coat two wire racks with cooking spray and place one over each set of rectangles (if you only have one cooling rack, work in batches). Bake until pastry just reaches tops of racks, about 15 minutes (do not let it bake into racks and stick). Remove racks; continue to bake until golden and evenly browned, about 15 minutes more. Let cool completely on racks, about 30 minutes.
• With a mixer, whisk cream, creme fraiche, vanilla seeds, and confectioners' sugar on medium speed until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip (such as Ateco #825). Split pastry rectangles horizontally (to create 24 pieces total). Choose 8 nice tops; set aside. Arrange a single layer of strawberries over 8 bottom rectangles. Pipe about 2 tablespoons cream over berries. Top with a second layer of berries. Pipe 2 tablespoons cream onto 8 more rectangles. Top with a layer of strawberries. Pipe a dollop of cream onto bottom and place on top of first layer, pressing very gently to help stick. Pipe a dollop of cream on bottom of reserved rectangles and place on top, sugared-sides up. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

STRAWBERRY NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• To make the pastry cream, add the egg yolks to a medium sized bowl and gently beat them together. Set aside.
• 2. Add the sugar, cornstarch and milk to a large saucepan and mix until smooth.
• 3. Cook, stirring continuously, over medium-high heat until mixture begins to thicken and bubble.
• 4. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• 5. Add a little bit of milk mixture to the egg yolks and whisk together, then add egg mixture to milk mixture. This process ensures that you don't scramble the egg yolks.
• 6. Place the pan back on the heat and bring to a light boil. Allow to boil for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
• 7. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth, then top with clear wrap that touches the top of the cream (it helps prevent a film from forming on top). Refrigerate until cool and ready to use.
• 8. Remove the two sheets of puff pastry from the box and cut each set into 3 strips, for a total of 6 strips.
• 9. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 13 minutes.
• 10. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool. Press the baked pastry down just a bit, if needed so they layers are relatively flat.
• 11. To finish making the pastry cream, add the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to a large mixer bowl and whip until stiff peaks form.
• 12. Gently fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream.
• 13. To layer everything together, place a layer of puff pastry onto a serving plate and top it with some chopped strawberries.
• 14. Pipe or spread some pastry cream on top of the berries, then repeat another layer of puff pastry, strawberries and pastry cream.
• 15. Top off the pastry with a third pastry strip on top. Repeat steps 13 through 15 with the remaining puff pastry, pastry cream and strawberries.
• 16. To make the icing, add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Spread the icing onto the top of the completed napoleons.
• 17. To add the whipped cream topping, add the ingredients to a large mixer bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form.
• 18. Pipe swirls of the whipped cream on top of the napoleons and top with a few additional chopped berries. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Napoleons are best fresh, or refrigerated for 1-2 days.