| Ingredients: For Puff Pastry: 1/2 of a 17 1/4-ounce package (1 sheet) frozen puff pastry, thawed For Cream Filling: 1/4 cup granulated or superfine sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 cup half and half or light cream 2 slightly beaten egg yolks 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup whipping cream For Glaze: 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 2-3 tablespoons boiling water Fruit Preserve or Jam Filling: (optional) 1/3 cup seedless raspberry or strawberry jam or preserves Chocolate Drizzle Topping: 1 1/2 tablespoons melted semisweet chocolate
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| Instructions: For 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. For 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. For 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. To Assemble: 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. Makes 9 napoleons. |
