Napoleon Tort Recipes

Steps:

• Dough: Cut butter into flour then blend in the sour cream and water.
• Form 8-12 balls, then flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit 15 minutes or until dough is pliable enough to be rolled out.
• Roll each disc into a paper-thin circle on a lightly-floured surface, then prick all over with a fork and bake at 375F for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.
• A pizza pan or a stone makes a good surface for cooking your layers.
• Each layer must be cooked individually.
• If your dough gets too soft while you are rolling and baking, put it back in the refrigerator until it is hard enough again.
• Filling#1: Mix sugar, flour and salt in top of double boiler.
• Gradually add hot milk, stirring constantly.
• Keep on heat, stirring until mixture thickens.
• Spoon a small amount of milk mixture gradually (~1/4c) into your egg yolks, mix thoroughly.
• This will prevent your eggs from cooking by gradually raising their temperature.
• After you have spooned the milk mixture into the eggs, pour the eggs into the milk mixture.
• Cook for 2 minutes.
• Cool, then add vanilla and extras if desired.
• Filling#2: Add both cans of milk to top of double boiler and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened (~30min).
• Add egg yolks slowly in a thin stream, stirring constantly.
• Add vanilla.
• Cook and stir for 10 minutes.
• Chill in refrigerator.
• Beat butter until fluffy, then slowly beat in chilled milk mixture.
• Add extras if desired.
• Assembly: Place one layer of pastry on a platter and spread with filling.
• Continue stacking, alternating fillings, until 1 layer of pastry remains.
• Frost top and sides of torte with your remaining filling.
• Crumble the last pastry layer and sprinkle over torte.
• Refrigerate for several hours.

Steps:

• To make pastry, cut butter into flour until crumbly and blend in sour cream.
• Form dough into 10 balls.
• Cover each with wax paper and refrigerate overnight.
• Allow dough to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, then roll each ball into a wafer thin circle on a lightly floured board.
• Prick all over and bake at 350 degrees F.
• for 7 to 10 minutes.
• Cool.
• To make filling# 1--Mix together sugar, flour and salt in top of double boiler.
• Gradually add hot milk, stirring constantly.
• Cook and stir until mixture thickens.
• Pour a small amount over egg yolks, mix thoroughly and pour back into hot mixture.
• Cook for 2 minutes.
• Cool, then add vanilla.
• To make filling# 2--Pour milk into top of double boiler and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened- about 30 minutes.
• Add egg yolks slowly in a thin stream, stirring constantly.
• Add vanilla.
• Cook and stir for 10 minutes.
• CHILL.
• Beat butter until fluffy, then slowly beat in chilled milk mixture.
• TO ASSEMBLE TORTE: Place one layer of pastry on a platter and spread with either filling.
• Continue stacking, alternating fillings, until 1 layer of pastry remains.
• Frost top and sides with remaining filling.
• Crush remaining pastry layer and cover torte with crumbs.
• Refrigerate for several hours.
• Serves 30.

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:

• Put flour into a large container, cut cold butter into pieces and add to the flour. Chop flour with butter using a spatula until the mixture consists of small crumbs. Add water, then soda mixed with lemon juice. Knead dough lightly, then refrigerate for 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare custard. In a medium sause pan mix sugar and eggs thoroughly. Add milk and mix well. Heat mixture on medium and bring to a boil, stirring often. In a cup, mix starch with some water to even consistency. As soon as the custard boils, add the starch mixture stirring constantly. Stir custard until it thickens, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. After the dough has refrigerated, divide it into 8 pieces. Preheat stove to 400F. Roll each piece into a thin pancake, use a large pan to cut out a circular shape. Pierce both cake and the cut-off strips with a fork all over. Then place the cake and strips onto a non-stick baking sheet and bake until golden brown. Cool until room temperature on a rack. To finish the custard, whip cream until thick. Mix cool custard with vanilla and whipped cream thoroughly. To assemble the tort, start with one cooked cake. Spread custard on the first cake and cover it with the second cake, press firmly. Repeat until all cakes are stacked. Cover the top layer with custard and crumbled cut-off strips.