Chocolate Almond Mousse Napoleons Food

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400°F.
• Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Cut the pastry into 3 strips along the fold marks. Cut each strip into 6 rectangles. Place the pastries 2-inches apart on 2 baking sheets.
• Bake the pastries for 15 minutes or until they're golden brown. Remove the pastries from the baking sheets and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
• Put the cream and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer set on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold in the melted chocolate pieces. Split each pastry into 2 layers, making 36 pieces. Spread 18 bottom halves with the chocolate cream mixture. Top with the remaining top halves. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.
• Drizzle the pastries with the chocolate and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
• Easy Substitution: You can substitute 2 cups thawed frozen non-dairy or dairy whipped topping for the heavy cream.

CENTERPIECE NAPOLEON WITH CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT MOUSSE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 4 sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Crack the egg into a small bowl, then add 1 tablespoon water and beat until well mixed. Pour half into a separate small bowl. Add a few drops of red food coloring to the egg in one bowl and a few drops of yellow to the other.
• Unfold the puff pastry sheets and cut each into 3 rectangles, using the folded lines as a guide, for a total of 12 rectangles. Place 3 on each of the prepared sheet pans, leaving 2 to 3 inches in between each.
• Top each of two pans of puff pastry with a second piece of parchment and place a second sheet pan on top of the parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the top sheet pans and top pieces of parchment. Return to the oven and bake until puffed and golden brown on the bottom, an additional 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Top the remaining two pans of unbaked puff pastry with parchment and sheet pans and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the top sheet pans and parchment. Brush these partially-baked rectangles with red egg wash on one end and yellow on the other, overlapping the two in the middle to create an orange section. Return to the oven to finish the baking, another 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Make the filling in two batches so that it will fit in the mixer. Add half the cream cheese and half the powdered sugar to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until light. Add 3 cups heavy cream and beat to stiff peaks. Add half the chocolate hazelnut spread, then fold in using a rubber spatula until no streaks remain. Transfer to a piping bag or large resealable plastic bag fitted with a large closed-star tip and refrigerate until ready to use. Repeat the process with the second half of the filling ingredients, leaving this portion in the bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Split each of the puff pastry rectangles open horizontally using a serrated knife. Line up 6 of the bottom half puff pastry rectangles end-to-end down a long platter, using a dot of filling to secure to the platter if necessary. Pipe an even layer of filling down the puff pastry line. Top with 6 more puff pastry rectangles and repeat with filling and puff pastry twice more, refilling the piping bag as needed and ending with the colored puff pastry, lining them up with red ends touching. (See Cook's Note.)
• Drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the puff pastry and top with broken pieces of Hazelnut Brittle.
• Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
• Add the granulated sugar, corn syrup and 1 cup water to a medium saucepan and stir to combine. Cook over medium-high heat until the syrup begins to turn golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Continue to cook, swirling the pan gently, until the mixture is a deep amber color.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the nuts and salt. Pour immediately onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread into an even layer and let cool completely, then break into small pieces.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Bake the pastry thirds according to box directions.
• Cool completely and slice each one in half horizontally.
• Beat eggs and sugar 3 mins.
• Heat 1 c. heavy cream in saucepan until hot and slowly pour it into egg mixture while mixer running on low.
• Add this mixture back to the saucepan and stir over med-low for 7 minutes to thicken.
• Remove heat and stir in chocolate.
• Cover and chill 2 hours.
• After 2 hours, whip the 1½ c. cream to stiff peaks.
• Fold it into the mousse.
• Mix all until smooth.
• Add more milk as needed to thin it.
• For each napoleon you will need 3 phyllo rectangles.
• Stack them as you fill each layer with the mousse generously.
• On top add lots of powdered sugar and a chocolate drizzle.

THE BEST CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Whip 1 cup of the heavy cream to soft peaks in a medium bowl (see Cook's Note). Set aside.
• Add the egg, egg yolks, sugar, espresso powder, vanilla extract, salt and 1 tablespoon water to a medium heatproof bowl and whisk to combine. Set the bowl over a medium saucepan of gently simmering water (do not allow the bowl to touch the water). Whisk constantly until the mixture is pale, hot to the touch and has almost doubled in volume, about 4 to 6 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula, if necessary. Remove from the heat and continue whisking until cooled, about 2 minutes.
• Put the chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and set over the saucepan of gently simmering water (do not allow the bowl to touch the water). Stir occasionally with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and gently stir for about 3 minutes to cool slightly.
• Whisk the egg mixture into the melted chocolate in 3 additions until combined. (The mixture may get very thick.) Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture in 3 additions until it is fully incorporated. It is important that the chocolate mixture is not warm to ensure that it combines smoothly with the whipped cream without seizing up.
• Divide the chocolate mousse among four 4-ounce ramekins and chill until firm, about 1 hour.
• Whip the remaining 3/4 cup cold heavy cream to stiff peaks. Top each chocolate mousse with whipped cream and serve. (For a softer texture, allow the ramekins to sit at room temperature while you whip the cream.)

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Thaw pastry at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400.
• Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 strips along fold marks. Cut each strip into 6 rectangles. Place 2" apart on baking sheet.
• Bake 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.
• Place cream and cinnamon in bowl. Beat with electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold in melted chocolate pieces. Split pastries into 2 layers. Spread 18 bottom halves with chocolate cream. Top with remaining top halves. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.
• Drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
• TIP: *You can substitute 2 cups thawed frozen non-dairy or dairy whipped topping for heavy cream. Proceed as directed.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND MOUSSE CANNOLI

Steps:

• Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until just beginning to simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 1 minute before stirring with a rubber spatula until smooth and combined. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, add the powdered sugar and whip to soft peaks with a hand mixer.
• In a second medium bowl, whisk the ricotta and amaretto until smooth and combined. Gently fold in half of the chocolate whipped cream to incorporate. When just a few streaks remain, add the remaining chocolate cream. Continue to fold until completely combined.
• Spoon the mousse into a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag and massage it toward one corner. Snip off the corner. Insert the snipped tip of the bag into the middle of a cannoli shell and gently squeeze to fill the shell, pulling out as you go. Repeat on the opposite end of the shell. Dip each end in the chopped almonds, then press a cherry into both ends. Repeat with the remaining shells.
• Serve immediately or chill in the fridge for up to an hour. Sift some powdered sugar over the top before serving.