Raspberry Napoleon
Feb 08, 2016 in baking, brunch, comfort food, dessert, seasonal, cream, custard, dessert, fruit, lemon. Read the original on: Culinary Ginger
A striking dessert that is surprisingly easy to make. Raspberry Napoleon is sheets of crispy puff pastry layered with lemon custard and fresh berries and topped with shaved white chocolate. A dessert than can be shared...or not.
Cupids favorite day is this Sunday. If you're staying home this Valentine's Day and cooking for your significant other, why not wow them with this raspberry Napoleon? Taking a little help from the store, frozen puff pastry is baked and flattened under a baking sheet. Creamy lemon custard, which is a simple custard with added fresh lemon zest that is a perfect complement to the fresh berries. The custard is piped (you can use a disposable piping bag or a ziptop bag with the end snipped off) between the berries that equal the size and shape so the layers of puff pastry lay neatly and elegantly on top.
Living in California, berries are available year round. Right now the raspberries are stunning, dark and plump, but strawberries would be also delicious in this dessert as well. A pretty dessert that can be enjoyed year round (and people will think you bought it from a bakery).
Raspberry Napoleon
Recipe Type: Dessert
Prep time: 2 hours
Cook time: 40 mins
Total time: 2 hours 40 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- For the cream:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- For the pastry:
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 32 each (7 ounces) fresh raspberries
- White chocolate, grated
Instructions
- For the cream:
- In a medium saucepan, stir together the milk and sugar over medium heat bring to a boil.
- While the milk is coming to a boil, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and egg.
- Stir the cornstarch into the eggs until smooth.
- Whisk 1/3 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture. This will temper the eggs and stop them from curdling or cooking.
- Add the rest of the milk slowly to the egg mixture while whisking.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan over low heat stir the mixture constantly stirring so the eggs don't burn on the bottom of the pan, until thickened.
- Once the custard has thickened, remove from the heat.
- Stir in the the vanilla and lemon zest, mix until well incorporated.
- Transfer the custard to a heat-proof dish and put plastic wrap directly on top of the custard to prevent a skin. Cover with a lid and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set.
- For the pastry:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Flour a clean surface and roll out pastry to 14 x 12 inches.
- Carefully transfer the pastry to the baking sheet and prick holes all over with a fork.
- Bake for 15 minutes until light golden.
- Remove the pastry from the oven and place another sheet of parchment paper over the pastry and weigh down with another baking sheet.
- Bake for a further 15 minutes until golden brown.
- Using 2 spatulas, transfer the warm pastry onto a cutting board and cut into a 12 x 9 inch shape (the pastry will have shrunk). Then cut in half to get 2, 6 inch pieces. Then cut those into thirds so you end up with 6 each of 6 x 3 inch pieces. Allow the pastry to cool completely.
- Once the cream is cooled, transfer to a piping bag (or ziptop bag and snip off the corner).
- Place 1 pastry piece into a serving plate and arrange 8 raspberries around the edges. Pipe a little cream between each. Lay another layer of pastry on top, repeat with the raspberries and cream.
- Lay a final layer of pastry on top and sprinkle with grated chocolate and 1 raspberry.
- Repeat the layering process for the 2nd Napoleon.
3.5.3208
Read the original on: Culinary Ginger
Culinary Ginger, Janette Fuschi
Hi, my name is Janette, originally from England, currently living in Southern California. I'm the author, recipe developer, photographer and resident redhead behind Culinary Ginger. I grew up in a household with 4 siblings where my mother cooked a from scratch meal for us every night. I took an interest at an early age in cooking and learned a lot by helping and watching my mother in the kitchen. Today that tradition is carried on my household in that I also like to cook every night. I like to use only fresh ingredients, no processed or pre-packaged foods are allowed in my kitchen. I like to try new recipes and adapt current ones from all cuisines. In addition to all of this, I am fortunate that I get to travel with my husband for business and this allows me to explore and document my findings here for you to read and hopefully, take something with you.
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