Pistachio Nut Napoleon Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Finely grind 1/3 cup pistachios with sugar, coriander, and cardamom in a food processor. Finely chop remaining pistachios and reserve.
• Put stack of phyllo sheets on a work surface and cover with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap and a dampened kitchen towel. Put 1 phyllo sheet on a cutting board and brush with some butter. Sprinkle phyllo sheet evenly with half of nut sugar, then top with another sheet of phyllo. Brush phyllo with some butter and sprinkle with remaining nut sugar. Top with remaining phyllo sheet, pressing down gently, then brush with remaining butter. Chill phyllo 10 minutes.
• Trim edges of phyllo with a sharp knife to make 1 (15- by 12-inch) rectangle. Cut stack lengthwise to make 4 (3-inch-wide) strips, then cut strips crosswise into 5 (3-inch) squares, forming 20 total. Halve each square diagonally, then carefully transfer triangles, 1 at a time, with a spatula onto a parchment-lined large baking sheet, spacing them 1/4inch apart. Cover triangles with another piece of parchment and a baking sheet (as a weight). Bake in lower third of oven until golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove top baking sheet and carefully peel off top parchment (some phyllo may stick to it), then cool crisps on baking sheet on a rack.
• Beat cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it holds soft peaks, then gently fold in lemon curd.
• Put 1 crisp on each of 8 plates. Top each crisp with 1 heaping tablespoon mousse, then layer with another crisp and tablespoon mousse. Top with crisps. Sprinkle reserved chopped nuts around napoleons.

Steps:

• Thaw one package puff pastry. Cover work space with thinly spread flour. Unfold the of puff pastry and cut along the folds for 3 pieces and decide how large you want your napoleons. Can cut into 3, 4 or 5 pieces. Place on a baking sheet and you can add an eggwash to the top. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 12 minutes. Remove and cool on a rack. When cooled use a serrated knife to cut each piece into 2 pieces.
• In a mixing bowl add the whipping cream, milk and the 2 boxes of pudding and mix with a handmixer until all is mixed and nice and thick.
• For the glaze mix the cocoa and hot coffee and add the icing sugar by spoon fulls until it makes a nice glaze when you dip a fork into it and it runs in a nice thin stream. Add a teaspoon of clear karo syrup.
• Start with the bottom of the puff pastry and add the pudding mix and layer it quite thick on all the bottom layers first so they are similar in height. Add the top layer of puff pastry. Dust with icing sugar and then drizzle with the chocolate glaze.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the cake mix and 1 package of instant pudding. Add the oil, eggs and club soda, mix well. Fold in the chopped nuts, reserving some for garnish if desired. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely. In a medium bowl, stir together the instant whipped topping and instant pudding. Add the milk and mix until light and fluffy. Slice cooled cake into layers, fill and frost including the hole in the middle. Garnish with nuts if desired. Keep chilled until serving.

Steps:

• Prepare each filling by mixing the ingredients in a bowl. For the date filling, knead the dates with the nutmeg and butter until soft. (You can warm the dates in the oven to make them easier to knead.) Break off a piece and roll into a log about 4 inches long. Bring the ends together to form a 1½-inch-diameter ring. Proceed until all are done and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the semolina, mahlab, and sugar and mix well. Pour in the melted butter and mix in with your fingertips, coating completely. Sprinkle on the yeast and sugar to incorporate. Gradually pour in the slightly warmed milk and mix until the mixture forms a dough. It should be soft and pliable, and not sticky. You may not end up using all of the milk.
• For the nut-filled maamoul, take a piece of dough of about the size of a walnut and cup it in one hand. With your thumb poke the center of the dough to make a well. Using your thumb on the inside and your index finger on the outside, work the dough upwards to thin it out gradually into a shell. Place a teaspoonful of the nut filling in the well. Bring the edges together to cover the filling completely. Smooth out and turn over the filled pastry. With a pincher proceed to decorate the shell. Make your pistachio-filled ones oval and your walnut-filled ones round. Place on a baking sheet.
• For the date-filled maamoul, take a walnut-sized piece of dough and flatten in the palm of your hand. Place a prepared date ring in the center and fold the edges over to enclose completely toward the center. Follow the shape of the date ring and pinch the center to make a hole in the middle. It will look like a filled donut. Turn the seam side down. Grab hold of the pastry in one hand and proceed to use the pincher to decorate. Place on a baking sheet.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake for about 15-20 minutes. The maamoul should only be slightly colored. Remove and cool completely before dusting with icing sugar. Store cooled pastries in an airtight container without the icing sugar.