Quick Pear Napoleans Recipes

CLASSIC FRENCH NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
• On a well-floured countertop, stack both pieces of thawed puff pastry on top of each other. Roll into a 12"x12" square. Cut into three equal 4"x12" rectangles. Prick the dough every 2 inches with a fork.
• Lay the rectangles onto the prepared baking sheet. Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the rectangles. Next, place a second baking sheet directly on top of parchment paper. Set a large oven-safe dish on top of this second baking sheet in order to weigh it down. (Note: This step ensures that the pastry rectangles bake flat and do not puff up too much in the oven.)
• Bake rectangles at 425°F for 10 minutes.
• Remove the dish, extra baking sheet and top piece of parchment paper. Return the rectangles to the oven and bake for 6-8 more minutes, or until golden brown. Set baked rectangles aside to cool. (Note: The sheets will puff up in this last stage, but they will deflate again once baked.)

PEAR, BLUE CHEESE, AND FIG NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Cut each pear lengthwise into 10 (1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick) slices (5 from one side, then 5 more from the opposite side), avoiding core and discarding rounded outermost slices.
• Layer 4 pear slices with cheese and fig on each of 4 plates, beginning with largest pear slices, and ending with smallest.
• Sprinkle any remaining cheese and fig around napoleons.

PEAR AND BERRY NAPOLEON

Steps:

• For the Pears: Put wine, juice, cinnamon, lemon juice, and sugar substitute in a pot, and bring to a boil. Take off the heat and add some clear glaze to slightly thicken the mixture. Add the sliced pears to the mixture and cool.
• Pastry Cream: Bring to a boil the milk, margarine, and split vanilla bean. Combine eggbeaters, sugar, and cornstarch and add to boiled milk. Cook until thick. Fold pastry cream with some whipped cream.
• Napoleon Sheets: Cut phyllo into rectangle shape. Spray each layer with vegetable spray (4 layers total). Sprinkle top with sugar substitute and bake until golden brown. Each set of Napoleon requires 3 rectangles per order.
• Pear and Berry Napoleon Assembly: In the center of a plate, layer a dollop of pastry cream, a phyllo square, a dollop of cream and berries. Repeat with another phyllo square, pastry cream, and berries. Top with phyllo square and a light sprinkle of powdered sugar. Spoon pears around. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

QUICK PEAR NAPOLEANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in upper third.
• Roll out pastry with a floured rolling pin on a lightly floured surface into about a 16-inch square. Trim edges. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and place another baking sheet on top. Bake until golden and cooked through, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove top baking sheet from pastry and transfer pastry to a rack to cool completely.
• While pastry cools, beat heavy cream with an electric mixer until it just holds soft peaks. Fold in sour cream gently but thoroughly.
• Meanwhile, cook sugar in a dry large heavy skillet over medium heat until it begins to melt, then continue to cook, stirring with a fork, until it is completely melted and golden. Stir in reserved pear syrup and boil, stirring, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in pears. Remove from heat and swirl in butter until combined.
• Cut pastry into 8 rectangles with a large knife. Place half of rectangles on 4 serving plates. Spread cream mixture over pastry, then spoon pears with caramel over top. Place remaining pastry rectangles on top.

PECAN DUSTED PUFF PASTRY CARAMELIZED PEAR NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Preheat 400 degrees F.
• Chop the pecans to the consistency of rough crumbs. Toss with the butter, sugars and cinnamon in a small bowl. Spread the mixture out onto a baking sheet and cook in the oven 7 to 10 minutes, until darkened and lightly caramelized. Set aside to cool.
• Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface to 1/16-inch thickness. Cut the puff pastry sheet into 12 squares, approximately 3 by 3 inches. Lay out on a baking sheet and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
• Melt the butter with both the sugars in a skillet over medium heat. Add the pears. Cook until pears are just tender and juices thicken to a syrup consistency, about 6 to 8 minutes.
• Whip the cream, granulated sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl until it forms soft peaks.
• Place a puff pastry square in the center of a serving bowl or plate. Top with a few pears, whipped cream and pecan pieces. Repeat this process 2 more times ending with a sprinkle of nuts.

VANILLA CREAM NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Lightly spray 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray. On lightly floured surface, unfold pastry sheets. Cut each sheet into 3 strips along fold marks. Place on cookie sheet; prick lightly with fork all over strips. Repeat with remaining pastry sheet and second cookie sheet.
• Bake about 5 minutes. Prick surfaces of pastries with fork to prevent pastries from rising too much during baking. Bake 10 minutes longer or until golden brown. Remove pastries from cookie sheets; cool 10 to 15 minutes.
• In large bowl, beat pudding mix, 2 cups milk, vanilla and sour cream with electric mixer on medium speed until soft pudding forms. Cover; refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes.
• In small bowl, stir powdered sugar and 3 teaspoons milk. If icing is too thick, stir in another teaspoon milk until spreadable consistency.
• On 1 pastry layer, spread about 3/4 cup pudding. Repeat with another pastry layer and 3/4 cup pudding. Top with third pastry layer. Spread icing over top. Set aside. Repeat to make second dessert with remaining pastries, pudding and icing.
• In microwavable small bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High about 30 seconds or until chocolate can be stirred smooth. Drizzle chocolate back and forth across top of each dessert. Drag toothpick through chocolate and icing to create marbled appearance.
• Cut desserts into 2-inch slices. Cover; refrigerate until ready to serve.

BEET AND PEAR NAPOLEONS WITH GINGER JUICE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
• Wrap beets in foil and roast until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Let stand until cool enough to handle, then slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Cool completely.
• Meanwhile, finely grate ginger with a Microplane over a kitchen-towel-lined bowl. Carefully gather towel around ginger and squeeze until you have 2 tablespoons ginger juice. Whisk in orange juice, sugar, and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide vinaigrette evenly between 2 small bowls.
• Cut pears lengthwise around core into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut out 18 rounds from slices using cookie cutter and put in one bowl of vinaigrette.
• Cut out 18 rounds from beet slices and put in other bowl. Toss pears and beets with vinaigrette to coat well.
• To assemble napoleons, put 1 beet round on each of 6 plates (see cooks' note, below) and top with a tarragon leaf. Top with 1 pear round, then another tarragon leaf. Repeat layering 2 more times. Discard vinaigrette used for beets.
• Toss greens with some of remaining vinaigrette and place around each napoleon. Finely grate apple (including skin) into a bowl. Spoon a heaping teaspoon apple on top of each napoleon, then sprinkle with sea salt and poppy seeds. Drizzle with more vinaigrette if desired.