Double Chocolate Napoleon Food

CHOCOLATE NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry into a 12-in. square. Cut into twelve 4x3-in. rectangles. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 9-12 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool., In a small bowl, whisk milk and sour cream until smooth. Add pudding mix; whisk for 2 minutes or until blended. Refrigerate for 5 minutes. , To assemble, split each pastry in half. Spoon pudding mixture over bottom halves and replace tops. Combine confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth; drizzle over top. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Serve immediately.

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.

DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE NAPOLEON

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F.
• Melt 3-1/2 oz. chocolate as directed on package; cool.
• Beat pudding mix, milk, coffee concentrate and vanilla in medium bowl with mixer 2 min. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Cut pastry sheet crosswise into 3 rectangles; place in single layer on parchment-covered baking sheet. Prick all over with fork; cover with additional parchment paper, then second baking sheet. Bake 15 min.
• Uncover pastry pieces; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake additional 8 to 10 min. or until golden brown. Cool 15 min.
• Stack pastry pieces on serving plate, filling layers with pudding mixture. Gently press down on top of Napoleon to secure.
• Whisk powdered sugar and water until blended; spread onto top of Napoleon. Melt remaining chocolate; pour into resealable plastic bag. Cut small piece off one bottom corner off of bag; use to pipe chocolate into 3 lengthwise lines on top of Napoleon. Drag toothpick crosswise over chocolate lines. Wipe toothpick clean, then drag, in opposite direction, across chocolate lines next to first swirled lines. Repeat until chocolate is evenly swirled on top of Napoleon to resemble photo. Refrigerate 30 min. or until chocolate is firm.

SAVORY CHOCOLATE NAPOLEON

Steps:

• Use an offset spatula to spread a 1/8-inch-thick layer of tempered chocolate over a sheet of acetate. When the chocolate begins to set but is not yet hard, use a sharp paring knife or rolling cutter to cut 1-inch squares. When the chocolate is set, peel off the acetate and break apart the chocolate squares.
• Place the softened cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Add the chives, paprika, salt and pepper and turn the mixer on medium speed. Mix just until combined.
• Place the cream cheese mixture in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a dollop of the cream cheese onto a chocolate square. Top with a square of chocolate. Pipe another dollop of cream cheese and cover with another square of chocolate. Viola!

CHOCOLATE-BERRY NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Roll out 1 puff pastry sheet into a 10-inch square; cut into 2 1/2-by-5-inch rectangles (8 total). Sandwich between 2 unlined rimmed baking sheets and bake at 400 degrees F until golden, 30 minutes. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Cool. Cook 1/3 cup milk, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a small skillet over medium heat, whisking, until thick. Stir in 2 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate; cool. Fold in 1 1/2 cups whipped cream. To assemble, layer 2 pastry rectangles with the chocolate cream and raspberries. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Make hazelnut crème:
• Melt chocolate with Nutella and keep warm.
• Beat cream with an electric mixer until it just holds soft peaks, then chill.
• Beat egg and yolks in cleaned mixer bowl with cleaned beaters at high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring sugar, water, and corn syrup to a boil in a 1-qt heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar has dissolved. Continue to boil, undisturbed, until candy thermometer registers 238°F (soft-ball stage; you will need to tilt pan to get temperature), about 4 minutes.
• Reduce mixer speed to medium and add hot sugar mixture to eggs in a slow steam (try to avoid beaters and side of bowl), then beat until mixture is pale, thick, tripled in volume, and completely cool, about 5 minutes.
• Fold chocolate mixture into egg mixture. Fold in one third of whipped cream to lighten, then fold in remaining whipped cream gently but thoroughly. Chill at least 4 hours.
• Candy hazelnuts:
• Line a baking pan with foil (shiny side up).
• Heat sugar in a heavy 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring with a fork to heat sugar evenly, until it starts to melt, then stop stirring and cook, swirling skillet occasionally so sugar melts evenly, until it is dark amber. Add hazelnuts, stirring until coated. Transfer to foil and cool completely, then coarsely chop.
• Bake pastry:
• Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Line a large heavy baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Roll out puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 17- by 10-inch rectangle (about 1/8 inch thick). Transfer to baking sheet, then cover with a sheet of parchment and top with a heavy baking sheet or sheet pan to weight down. Bake until pale golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir together corn syrup and water.
• Remove top baking sheet and parchment. Generously brush pastry with corn syrup mixture and cover with parchment, then invert pastry and brush other side with corn syrup mixture. Replace parchment and baking sheet and bake until deep golden and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes more. Cool completely.
• Using a serrated knife, trim edges of pastry, then halve lengthwise and cut each half into 8 equal rectangles for a total of 16 rectangles.
• Assemble dessert:
• Arrange 8 rectangles on a baking sheet and dust with confectioners' sugar to cover. (To mark pastry decoratively, see cooks' note, below.)
• Dab a small amount of hazelnut crème in center of 8 plates, then put an undecorated pastry rectangle on top. Divide remaining hazelnut crème among pastry rectangles. Sprinkle with some of the candied hazelnuts and top with decorated pastry rectangles. Sprinkle with more candied hazelnuts.
• Do Ahead
• Hazelnut crème can be chilled up to 2 days. Candied hazelnuts keep in an airtight container 3 weeks. Pastry can be baked 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Unfold pastry sheets. Cut each sheet into 12 squares; place on baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 min. or until puffed and golden brown. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Cut each square horizontally in half.
• Melt 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate as directed on package. Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with whisk until blended. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Gently stir in COOL WHIP.
• Spoon 2 Tbsp. cream cheese mixture onto bottom half of each pastry square; cover with top of square. Melt white chocolate as directed on package; spoon into resealable plastic bag. Repeat with remaining semi-sweet chocolate, spooning chocolate into separate bag. Cut small piece off one bottom corner of each bag; use to drizzle chocolates over napoleons.

CHOCOLATE SILK NAPOLEON WITH VANILLA ANGLAISE AND CARAMEL DIPPED PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lay 2 sheets of the phyllo on a flat surface and brush each with 2 tablespoons of the butter. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar over each. Top each with another sheet of phyllo, brush with butter, and sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons of sugar and 4 tablespoons of pecans.
• Cut out 6 (5-inch) triangles from each sheet and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place another sheet of parchment on top of the triangles and top the parchment with another sheet pan. Bake until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a baking rack.
• When the phyllo has cooled make 4 (3-layer) napoleons starting with a layer of phyllo then a layer of Chocolate Silk then another phyllo and end with a layer of phyllo. Spoon some of the Vanilla Anglaise onto a large dessert plate. Place the napoleon on top and garnish with Caramelized Pecans.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Bring milk and cream with 1/2 of the sugar to a boil.
• Place chocolate in a large bowl and pour the hot milk mixture over. Let sit for 1 minute then whisk until smooth.
• Whisk the yolks, remaining sugar, vanilla, and salt together. Sift in the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Combine milk and egg mixture, and whisk in the butter. Strain through a fine mesh strainer.
• Pour into a half sheet pan and bake, covered with aluminum foil, until just set. Refrigerate until cold. Cut into 8 (5-inch) triangles.
• Heat milk, cream, vanilla bean in a medium saucepan. Whisk together sugar and eggs to the ribbon stage. Slowly whisk in the hot milk and return mixture to the pan. Cook over low heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
• Strain the mixture into a bowl set into a larger bowl of ice water and stir until cold.
• Caramelized Pecans: 1 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup water 8 whole pecans 1 pound butter in its wrapper
• Place sugar and water in a small saucepan and cook to the mixture reaches the hard crack stage (300 degrees F) on a candy thermometer.
• Skewer the pecans onto a wooden skewer and dip into the caramel. Place the skewers into the butter sideways and let the caramel drip onto a plate. Let the caramel harden and snip off with scissors leaving a 1-inch piece of caramel hanging from the pecan.

CHOCOLATE PHYLLO NAPOLEON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, combine the butter and cocoa to make "cocoa butter".
• Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on the pan and brush with cocoa butter. Sprinkle evenly with 2 tablespoons of sugar, then place another sheet of phyllo on top. Brush with cocoa butter, sprinkle with sugar, lay another sheet of phyllo on top, brush with cocoa butter, and sprinkle with sugar. Cover the stack with parchment paper. Place another pan on top to weight it down. Then place another, empty sheet pan on the very top. (This is to keep the phyllo from buckling during baking).
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the phyllo is dark brown. It's very difficult to tell, as it's so chocolate-y looking as it is. Remove the whole stack of sheet pans and let cool (do not unstack the pans).
• To assemble the dessert, break the phyllo up into random pieces about 3-inches square. Place a dab of mascarpone on each of 4 plates and press 1 phyllo piece down on it. Spoon on a heaping tablespoon of mascarpone in the center and surround it with raspberries. Place another phyllo piece on top and repeat, topping off with a final phyllo piece. Garnish with a mint sprig, a dusting of powdered sugar, and raspberry puree, if desired.

CHOCOLATE NAPOLEONS WITH MASCARPONE CREAM AND CHERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Make chocolate layers:
• Place baking sheet, bottom side up, on work surface. Cover bottom side with foil, tucking ends under. Mark 15 x 9-inch rectangle on foil. Place chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of pan to touch water); stir until melted and smooth. Pour onto foil; spread to cover rectangle. Chill until just set but not hard, about 8 minutes.
• Cut chocolate rectangle lengthwise into three 3-inch-wide strips. Cut strips crosswise into six 2 1/2-inch-long pieces. Chill 1 hour. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; keep refrigerated.)
• Make mascarpone cream:
• Using electric mixer, beat first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Add 1/2 cup cream; beat until soft peaks form. Add 1/2 cup cream; beat until thick and stiff. Cover; chill at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.
• Place 1 chocolate piece on each of 6 plates. Spread 3 tablespoons mascarpone over each. Top with another chocolate piece; spread mascarpone over. Top with third chocolate piece. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill.) Dust with powdered sugar. Spoon compote alongside.

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.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips., Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.