Rhubarb Napoleons Food

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Make filling:
• In a heavy saucepan combine all filling ingredients except strawberries and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes, or until rhubarb is soft and falling apart. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool completely. Hull strawberries and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (there will be about 2 cups). Add strawberries to rhubarb mixture, tossing to combine well. Filling may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring filling to room temperature before assembling napoleons.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• On a lightly floured surface roll pastry into a 14- by 10-inch rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick. Cut pastry into 4 strips, each 14 by 2 1/2 inches. Working with 1 pastry strip at a time, with long side facing you, make three 4-inch-long parallelograms per strip, discarding end scraps, for a total of 12 parallelograms. Invert 2 baking sheets and arrange 6 parallelograms in one layer on each. Freeze pastry 15 minutes, or until firm.
• Remove 1 baking sheet from freezer and invert a metal cooling rack directly onto pastry to cover parallelograms completely. (Cooling rack will weight down pastry to form a decorative pattern.) Bake pastry with cooling rack in middle of oven until golden brown and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully remove rack from pastry and transfer pastry to another rack to cool completely. Bake remaining pastry in same manner. Parallelograms may be made 4 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Assemble napoleons:
• Arrange 6 parallelograms, design sides up, on dessert plates and top each with about 1/2 cup filling. Put remaining 6 parallelograms, design sides up, on top of filling and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
• Serve napoleons with lemon cream.

STRAWBERRY NAPOLEONS WITH PROSECCO CREAM

Steps:

• Make the pastries: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unfold the puff pastry onto the prepared baking sheet. Whisk the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl; brush all over the puff pastry, then sprinkle with the sugar. Freeze until the pastry is firm, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the strawberry filling: Mash 1 cup strawberries with a fork in a large bowl. Add the remaining strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar and the vanilla; toss to coat. Set aside until ready to assemble. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and bake until golden, 5 to 7 minutes; set aside. Cut the puff pastry into four 4-inch squares with a sharp knife; prick all over with a fork. Transfer to the oven and bake until puffed and lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue baking until flaky and golden brown, about 15 more minutes. Remove to a rack and let cool completely.
• Make the prosecco cream: Combine the mascarpone, heavy cream, the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and the prosecco in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. (Do not overbeat or the cream will become grainy.) Slice the pastries in half horizontally using a serrated knife. Put a bottom half on each plate. Top each with some prosecco cream and strawberries with their juices; cover with the top pastry halves and sprinkle with the almonds. Photograph by Anna Williams

STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB NAPOLEONS WITH CREME FRAICHE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Unfold the pastry sheet on your work surface. If the pastry sticks a bit, dust with some flour. Roll the dough out to about a 10-inch square. Cut the square into 4 (5-inch) squares, then cut these in half diagonally to make 8 triangles. Evenly sprinkle all the triangles with the 2 tablespoons sugar. Put the triangles, sugar-side up, on the baking sheet. Pop in the oven and bake until nicely puffed and golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool. Slice in half horizontally (a serrated knife is best for this job).
• Put a halved triangle on your serving plate. Spread some Strawberry-Rhubarb filling on top, stack another halved triangle and more filling on top of that and repeat to make 4 layers total. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with more sauce on the side. Scoop some Creme Fraiche Ice Cream alongside. Serve the napoleons immediately.
• Whisk the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl, making sure there are no lumps. Add the rhubarb, sugar-cornstarch mixture, orange zest and juice and half the strawberries to a saucepan. Give it a good stir. Let this mixture sit about 15 minutes off the heat so it macerates (gets nice and juicy). Then put the pan over medium-high heat and let cook until the rhubarb is tender but still holds its shape, giving it a stir now and then, about 7 minutes. Let it cool for about 15 minutes, and then stir in the rest of the strawberries.
• Pour the milk into a large bowl, add the 2 tablespoons lemon juice and let it sit for a couple of minutes.
• Add the creme fraiche, the remaining 1/3 cup lemon juice and the sugar. Give it a whisk until thoroughly combined. Pour into an ice cream maker and churn as per the manufacturer's instructions, then pop in the freezer until it's firm.