Napoleon - A French Cream-Filled Pastry

By Carroll Pellegrinelli

Updated 08/15/19

Napoleon dessert
Jessica Boone/Stockbyte/Getty Images
  • Total: 60 mins
  • Prep: 60 mins
  • Cook: 0 mins
  • Yield: About 9 servings

There aren't many dessert recipes that offer a lovely light pastry filled with a rich cream such as the Napoleon. 

This recipe calls for a chocolate or vanilla pastry cream so be sure to check out those tasty recipes. 

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

  2. Lighly flour a bread board and rolling pin. Roll dough to 13 x 17-inch triangle, 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to cookie sheet. 

  3. Prick dough with a fork. Cover with another cookie sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove top sheet and continue to bake for 5 more minutes or until lightly browned.

  4. Cool on a wire rack.

  5. Cut pastry into thirds, lengthwise.

  6. Mix powdered sugar and water. Stir until smooth.

  7. Turn over 1 pastry strip on a rack.

  8. Pour the sugar glaze over the strip. Smooth with a spatula. Quickly pour stripes of chocolate over glaze.

  9. Drag knife over top to make decorative design. Let stand until dry, about 30 minutes.

To assemble:

  1. Place one unglazed strip on serving platter.

  2. Spread half of pastry cream on top.

  3. Top with the other unglazed strip. Top with rest of pastry cream. Top that with​ the glazed strip.

  4. Chill until firm, about an hour. (Don't chill longer than 3 hours. It may get soggy.) For serving, cut with serrated knife.

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