Coffee Napoleon Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out puff pastry on parchment to 11-by-15-inch rectangle. Sprinkle with sugar to evenly coat. Roll out again so sugar adheres to pastry. Trim to three 11-by-5-inch rectangles. Spray a rimmed baking sheet lightly with water and transfer pastry rectangles to baking sheet; freeze until firm, about 20 minutes. Divide rectangles between two parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets. Top each with a wire cooling rack and bake until beginning to turn golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• In a small bowl, whisk together heavy cream and espresso powder. Add confectioners' sugar and whisk until smooth. If glaze is too thick to pour, add additional cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, until glaze reaches a pourable consistency.
• Assemble Napoleon: place one pastry rectangle on work surface. Top with half of pastry cream, spreading in an even layer. Top with a second pastry rectangle, pressing gently to adhere. Repeat with remaining pastry cream and pastry rectangle, with the flattest surface facing upward. Pour glaze on top and spread evenly using an offset spatula to cover. Fill a small pastry bag fitted with a very small plain tip (#1 or #2) with melted chocolate. Pipe lines of chocolate crosswise over the glaze, about 1/2 inch apart. Drag the tip of a wooden skewer down the length of the glazed pastry, in alternating directions, to create a decorative pattern. Refrigerate up to 1 hour before slicing with a serrated knife.

Steps:

• 1. Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with 2 pieces of plastic wrap that are large enough to drape over and cover all of the sides.
• 2. Break the matzoh pieces in half. Pour the coffee into a shallow pan and add the matzoh pieces, turning them over so that each piece becomes soaked with the coffee. Set aside.
• 3. To make the Mousse: Break 21 ounces of the chocolate into small pieces and melt either on the stovetop or in the microwave.
• 4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar. Add the softened margarine and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed or vigorously by hand with a whisk until combined. Add the melted chocolate and beat again.
• 5. In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites until they start to stiffen. Turn the speed to low, add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, and then turn the speed back to high and beat until very stiff, about 1 minute more. Fold the whites into the chocolate mixture.
• 6. Spoon about 1/5 of the mousse into the prepared pan to cover the bottom. Add 3 to 4 matzoh halves to cover the mousse in 1 layer. Add another 1/5 of the mousse to cover the matzoh and then another layer of matzoh. Repeat until you have used all the matzoh. There should be 4 to 5 layers, depending on the size of your matzoh pieces. The last layer should be the mousse. Cover with plastic.
• 7. Place in the freezer for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight. Place in the refrigerator 1 hour before serving.
• 8. To serve, unmold the pan onto a large platter and peel off the plastic wrap. Use a grater or vegetable peeler to shave the remaining 2 ounces of chocolate on top of the mousse. Cut into 20 pieces.

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:

• 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.