Chocolate Mint Napoleons Recipes

Steps:

• Make puff pastry strips: Lightly flour a clean work surface. Using a rolling pin, gently roll out dough into a 16-by-18-inch rectangle about 1/8 inch thick, being careful not to press too hard around the edges. Using a pastry wheel or sharp knife, cut rectangle crosswise into thirds, with each strip 6 by 16 inches. Transfer to a baking sheet; dock, or pierce, the dough all over with a fork. Cover with plastic wrap; place in refrigerator 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Transfer to oven; bake until strips are puffed and golden all over, about 14 minutes. Set a baking sheet directly on pastry strips, and continue baking until pastry is cooked through and well browned, about 6 minutes. Remove top baking sheet; bake 4 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Using a serrated knife, trim each to 4 1/4 by 12 inches.
• Make the glaze: In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream just to a boil. Place dark chocolate in a bowl, and pour hot cream over chocolate; whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is combined. Whisk in corn syrup. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
• Place white chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until chocolate is melted, and remove from heat. Let cool.
• Using an offset spatula, spread dark chocolate glaze over one side of the flattest puff pastry strip, making sure to coat entire surface. Place white chocolate in a piping cone; pipe thin lines 3/4 inch apart across width of chocolate-coated strip. To create the distinctive flourish, gently drag the tip of a paring knife or a skewer lengthwise through both coatings, in lines perpendicular to the white chocolate lines. Begin at one of the short ends, and make each line 3/4 inch apart. Alternate the direction each time.
• Place one of the unglazed puff pastry strips on a serving tray. Spread half the pastry cream over the top, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Top with remaining unglazed pastry strip; press down gently, and repeat with remaining pastry cream. Top with glazed pastry strip. Transfer to refrigerator, and chill 30 minutes uncovered. Using a long serrated knife, cut into six pieces, and serve.

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry into a 12-in. square. Cut into twelve 4x3-in. rectangles. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 9-12 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool., In a small bowl, whisk milk and sour cream until smooth. Add pudding mix; whisk for 2 minutes or until blended. Refrigerate for 5 minutes. , To assemble, split each pastry in half. Spoon pudding mixture over bottom halves and replace tops. Combine confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth; drizzle over top. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, combine the butter and cocoa to make "cocoa butter".
• Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on the pan and brush with cocoa butter. Sprinkle evenly with 2 tablespoons of sugar, then place another sheet of phyllo on top. Brush with cocoa butter, sprinkle with sugar, lay another sheet of phyllo on top, brush with cocoa butter, and sprinkle with sugar. Cover the stack with parchment paper. Place another pan on top to weight it down. Then place another, empty sheet pan on the very top. (This is to keep the phyllo from buckling during baking).
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the phyllo is dark brown. It's very difficult to tell, as it's so chocolate-y looking as it is. Remove the whole stack of sheet pans and let cool (do not unstack the pans).
• To assemble the dessert, break the phyllo up into random pieces about 3-inches square. Place a dab of mascarpone on each of 4 plates and press 1 phyllo piece down on it. Spoon on a heaping tablespoon of mascarpone in the center and surround it with raspberries. Place another phyllo piece on top and repeat, topping off with a final phyllo piece. Garnish with a mint sprig, a dusting of powdered sugar, and raspberry puree, if desired.

Steps:

• For sauce: Combine crème de menthe and sugar in small saucepan; scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean; stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves; remove from heat; cool; strain into bowl.
• For mousse: Whisk yolks and ¼ cup sugar in small bowl to blend; bring ¼ cup cream to simmer in small saucepan; gradually whisk hot cream into egg mixture; return mixture to same saucepan; stir constantly over medium-low heat until custard thickens, about 1 minute (do not boil); reduce heat to low; add chocolate, crème de cacao and butter and stir until smooth; pour into large bowl; chill until cool, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes; beat ½ cup cream in small bowl to stiff peaks; fold cream into chocolate mixture; cover and chill.
• For Chocolate Bark: Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment; finely grind mints in processor; place half of chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water; stir until candy thermometer registers 115F; pour onto 1 prepared sheet; using spatula, spread chocolate to 1/16-inch thickness over parchment; sprinkle half of ground candies over half of chocolate; fold parchment in half to seal candies in chocolate; repeat with remaining chocolate and candies; cover and chill 1 to 24 hours; peel parchment off chocolate bark; break or cut each sheet of bark into 6 large irregular pieces, reserving any small pieces for garnish; place 1 bark piece on plate; spread scant 1/3 cup mousse over bark; place another bark piece on top of mousse; spread scant 1/3 cup mousse over; top with another bark piece; place dollop of mousse on top of chocolate and top with any smaller bark pieces, standing pieces upright; repeat with remaining bark and mousse; (Can be made 6 hours ahead; cover; chill).
• Serve napoleons with sauce.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F.
• Melt 3-1/2 oz. chocolate as directed on package; cool.
• Beat pudding mix, milk, coffee concentrate and vanilla in medium bowl with mixer 2 min. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Cut pastry sheet crosswise into 3 rectangles; place in single layer on parchment-covered baking sheet. Prick all over with fork; cover with additional parchment paper, then second baking sheet. Bake 15 min.
• Uncover pastry pieces; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake additional 8 to 10 min. or until golden brown. Cool 15 min.
• Stack pastry pieces on serving plate, filling layers with pudding mixture. Gently press down on top of Napoleon to secure.
• Whisk powdered sugar and water until blended; spread onto top of Napoleon. Melt remaining chocolate; pour into resealable plastic bag. Cut small piece off one bottom corner off of bag; use to pipe chocolate into 3 lengthwise lines on top of Napoleon. Drag toothpick crosswise over chocolate lines. Wipe toothpick clean, then drag, in opposite direction, across chocolate lines next to first swirled lines. Repeat until chocolate is evenly swirled on top of Napoleon to resemble photo. Refrigerate 30 min. or until chocolate is firm.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Unfold pastry sheets. Cut each sheet into 12 squares; place on baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 min. or until puffed and golden brown. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Cut each square horizontally in half.
• Melt 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate as directed on package. Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with whisk until blended. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Gently stir in COOL WHIP.
• Spoon 2 Tbsp. cream cheese mixture onto bottom half of each pastry square; cover with top of square. Melt white chocolate as directed on package; spoon into resealable plastic bag. Repeat with remaining semi-sweet chocolate, spooning chocolate into separate bag. Cut small piece off one bottom corner of each bag; use to drizzle chocolates over napoleons.