Baking Classics
The Technique
Napoleons
A napoleon may refer to sweet or savory canapés, appetizers & salads in the culinary arts. These stacked & layered foods make eye-catching presentations but are generally simple to assemble. Miniature Napoleons offer a smaller version to a classic recipe & make a wonderful addition to spring entertaining menus. Once a batch of Creme Patisserie has been prepared, it’s effortless to transform it into Creme Mousseline, the quintessential filling for these irresistible bakeshop specialties. The butter firms quickly when chilled making it a stable choice for a variety of items. The technique of creating the design over the surface of the top puff pastry layer may seem complicated however it’s not. Once you master the procedure, it may be applied over tarts & cookies for lovely presentations. Learn how to make one of the most iconic desserts in your very own kitchen.
Miniature Napoleons
makes 10 tasting servings
1/4 recipe Buttermilk Puff Pastry
Granulated sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 recipe Creme Mousseline
Roll the Buttermilk Puff Pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 1/8-inch thickness & into a 9 x 13-inch rectangle. Cut 15 {2 1/4-inch} square shapes from the dough. Place on parchment paper-lined half sheet pans & cover with plastic. Chill 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove the pans from the refrigerator. Cut each square in half into rectangles & reposition them spacing 1-inch apart. Dock the dough by piercing the surface all over using the tines of a fork. Sprinkle with sugar. Top with a piece of parchment paper then a half sheet pan to weigh down the dough. Bake 8 minutes. Remove the pan & the parchment paper then return it to the oven. Bake an additional 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown & cooked throughout. Remove the pan from the oven. Cool completely. Repeat with the remaining Buttermilk Puff Pastry.
Stir together 1/2 cup powdered sugar & 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons hot water. The mixture should be relatively thick. Stir together the remaining powdered sugar & the cocoa powder in a separate small bowl. Add just enough water to form a fluid glaze. Place the chocolate glaze in a pastry bag & snip the end with scissors. Dip 1/3 of the pieces of puff pastry into the vanilla glaze & allow the excess to drip back into the bowl. Pipe 3 lines crosswise with the chocolate glaze over the surface while it’s still fluid. Swipe a wooden pick through the two outer portions of the chocolate lines then swipe it through the center in the opposite direction. Let stand 15 minutes to set.
Place the Creme Mousseline in a pastry bag fit with a No. 7 tip. Pipe dollops of the cream over the remaining 2/3 of the baked puff pastry rectangles. Place on a half sheet pan & chill 5 minutes to firm, if necessary. To assemble the Miniature Napoleons, stack two of the puff pastry rectangles with Creme Mousseline on top of one another then place one of the vanilla & chocolate glazed pieces over the surface. Repeat with all of the pastry. Chill until ready to serve.
Buttermilk Puff Pastry
makes 3 lbs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tsp kosher salt
3/4 cup ice cold water
1/2 cup cold buttermilk
1 lb unsalted butter, frozen
Whisk together the all purpose flour, the cake flour & the salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture & pour the water & the buttermilk into it. Use a rubber spatula to blend the mixture, swiping the bowl sides as necessary until combined. Form the dough into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap & chill 20 minutes. Meanwhile, run the frozen butter down the large holes of a box grater. Place it onto a piece of plastic wrap. Using the wrap, form it into a 5 1/2 x 7 1/2-inch rectangle. Chill the butter.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator & place it on a well floured surface. Roll the dough into a 10 x 15-inch rectangle. Remove the butter from the refrigerator & place it in the center third portion of the dough leaving a 1 1/2-inch border at the top & the bottom. Fold the dough into thirds, then make a 1/4 turn counterclockwise. The last fold should be closest to you. Repeat the process two additional times. The dough will have a total of 3 turns. Cover the dough surface with plastic. Chill 30 minutes.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator & place it on a well floured surface. Roll the dough into a 10 x 15-inch rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds, then make a 1/4 turn counterclockwise. The last fold should be closest to you. Repeat the process two additional times. The dough will have a total of 6 turns at this point. Wrap the dough with plastic. Chill 8 hours or overnight.
Creme Mousseline
makes about 4 cups
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 1/2 cups whole milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup very soft butter
Whisk together the sugar, the cornstarch & the salt in a 3 1/2 quart saucepan. Whisk in the whole milk. Add the egg yolks & blend well. Cook, stirring with a whisk, over Medium heat about 6 minutes. The mixture will thicken & begin a slow bubble. Reduce the heat to Low & cook an additional 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Add the vanilla bean paste & the 2 tablespoons of butter then allow it to melt. Whisk the mixture until smooth & pass through a chinois or fine wire mesh sieve set over a bowl. Discard the solids. Spread the pastry cream over a 13 x 9-inch quarter sheet pan & place plastic wrap directly over the surface. Chill 1 hour.
Place half of the pastry cream in the bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer. Beat the mixture on Medium speed to break it up a bit then add 1/2 cup of the very soft better. Beat on Medium to Medium-High speed until completely smooth. It may take up to 5 minutes. The key point is that the mixture should have a smooth, velvety-whipped texture. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining pastry cream & the very soft butter. Use as directed.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{testing notes}
How To Make Miniature Napoleons
Buttermilk Puff Pastry may be used for a variety of sweet & savory nibbles. Be certain to look to the extensive tutorial for pointers & visuals that guide you through every step of the process. Once it has been prepared, Miniature Napoleons may take shape & offer lovely style to a number of spring celebrations.
The Technique
A few pieces of equipment will be necessary in order to complete the task. Read through the recipe before beginning. Here’s what you should know.
No. 1
Roll the Buttermilk Puff Pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 1/8-inch thickness & into a 9 x 13-inch rectangle. Cut 15 {2 1/4-inch} square shapes from the dough. Place on parchment paper-lined half sheet pans & cover with plastic. Chill 30 minutes.
No. 2
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove the pans from the refrigerator. Cut each square in half into rectangles & reposition them spacing 1-inch apart.
No. 3
Dock the dough by piercing the surface all over using the tines of a fork. Sprinkle with sugar. Top with a piece of parchment paper then a half sheet pan to weigh down the dough. Bake 8 minutes.
No. 4
Remove the pan & the parchment paper then return it to the oven.
No. 5
Bake an additional 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown & cooked throughout. Remove the pan from the oven. Cool completely. Repeat with the remaining Buttermilk Puff Pastry.
No. 6
The striking design over the surface of Napoleons whether making them large or small in size is simple to accomplish. The key is to be certain both of the icings are fluid when ready to drag a wooden pick through them.
6a
Stir together 1/2 cup powdered sugar & 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons hot water. The mixture should be relatively thick. Stir together the remaining powdered sugar & the cocoa powder in a separate small bowl. Add just enough water to form a fluid glaze. Place the chocolate glaze in a pastry bag & snip the end with scissors. Dip 1/3 of the pieces of puff pastry into the vanilla glaze & allow the excess to drip back into the bowl. Pipe 3 lines crosswise with the chocolate glaze over the surface while it’s still fluid.
6b
Swipe a wooden pick through the two outer portions of the chocolate lines then swipe it through the center in the opposite direction. Let stand 15 minutes to set.
6c
Place the Creme Mousseline in a pastry bag fit with a No. 7 tip. Pipe dollops of the cream over the remaining 2/3 of the baked puff pastry rectangles. Place on a half sheet pan & chill 5 minutes to firm, if necessary.
No. 7
To assemble the Miniature Napoleons, stack two of the puff pastry rectangles with Creme Mousseline on top of one another then place one of the vanilla & chocolate glazed pieces over the surface. Repeat with all of the pastry. Chill until ready to serve.
The Tune
“Beautiful Love” Anita O’Day
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