Pie and Pastry Bible (126 page)

Use a serrated knife to cut the napoleon into 1¾-inch pieces.

VARIATION

STRAWBERRY AND CHIBOUST NAPOLEON

Omit the fondant and drizzle glaze.

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT

A pastry bag or reclosable quart-size freezer bag and a number 9 large star tube

In a bowl, toss the strawberries with the sugar and allow them to sit for at least 1 hour at room temperature and up to 6 hours refrigerated. Drain the strawberries, discarding the syrup, and place them on paper towels. (You will have about 1½ cups of berries.)

Pipe or spread a generous ¾ cup of the Chiboust between each pastry layer, topping each layer of Chiboust with ½ cup of the strawberries. Dust the final pastry layer with the optional powdered sugar. If desired, make a Crosshatch design in the sugar by heating a metal skewer in a gas flame or on an electric burner until very hot and setting it on the powdered sugar at about i-inch diagonal intervals until it caramelizes. Wipe the skewer each time and reheat it when it cools.

VARIATION

MARIONBERRY AND PASSION CREAM (OR RASPBERRY AND LEMON CREAM) NAPOLEON

Omit the fondant and drizzle glaze.

If using Marionberries, in a large bowl gently toss them with the sugar. Set the Marionberries aside to thaw (about 2 hours at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 8 hours). Drain them thoroughly, discarding the syrup, and place them on paper towels.

Spread about ¾ cup of the passion curd cream (or lemon cream) between each pastry layer, topping each layer of pastry cream with ½ cup of the Marionberries (or raspberries). Dust the final pastry layer with the optional powdered sugar; if desired, make a Crosshatch design by heating a metal skewer in a gas flame or on an electric burner until very hot and setting it on the powdered sugar at about i-inch diagonal intervals until it caramelizes. Wipe the skewer each time and reheat it when it cools.

LA SMITHEREEN
Leave the puff pastry uncut after baking. Just before serving, crumble the pastry into about i-inch pieces and gently stir it together with the pastry cream. Scoop it onto serving plates and, if desired, garnish it with fresh fruit.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE NAPOLEON

J
eff Tomcheck, chef/owner of Indigo Restaurant in Great Falls, Virginia, created this Napoleon when he was chef at the Old Angler’s Inn in Potomac. Instead of puff pastry, he uses three layers of delicate, crisp fillo, coated with a thin layer of melted bittersweet chocolate. The chocolate serves to moisture-proof the baked pastry, keeping it from coming in direct contact with the two layers of rich chocolate mousse filling.

For a lighter, eggless chocolate mousse filling, try the variation from Bill Yosses, pastry chef at Bouley Restaurant and Bakery in New York City. It’s actually a light ganache, made with a chocolate that contains 70 percent cocoa solids, which makes it smooth as silk, and nearly three times the cream to milk, making it very light. (Bill reminds me occasionally that I was his first teacher! Hard to believe; he has risen to such stellar heights of baking excellence, refinement, and imagination.)

EQUIPMENT

Two half-size sheet pans or large baking sheets, lined with parchment; a small offset spatula or small (number 9) clean artist’s brush; and a pastry bag and number 7 large star pastry tube

Preheat the oven to 375°F. at least 20 minutes before baking. Set an oven rack at the middle level and place a baking stone or cookie sheet on it before preheating.

MAKE THE LAYERS

Lay the stack of fillo on the counter. Cut it crosswise in half so that there are two 8-by 12-inch pieces. Keep the fillo well covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel as you work to prevent drying.

Remove 1 sheet of fillo, place it on the work surface, and brush it lightly with the butter (using about ¾ teaspoon), starting around the edges where it will dry out the most quickly and then dappling it lightly all over. Sprinkle the fillo with ½ teaspoon of the sugar and ¾ teaspoon of the cocoa and lay another sheet of fillo over it. Brush it lightly with butter and sprinkle it with sugar and cocoa. Continue this way with the remaining sheets of fillo, brushing the top with butter and sprinkling it with the remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar, but no cocoa (reserve the remaining cocoa).

With a sharp knife and long ruler, cut the fillo stack lengthwise in half into two 4- by 12-inch stacks. Cut each stack into nine 1¼- by 4-inch rectangles. (You have ¾ inch extra in length, which will allow for a little imprecision.) Place the fillo rectangles on the parchment-lined sheet, top with the second sheet of parchment, and place the second baking sheet on top of it.

Bake the pastries for 7 to 10 minutes or until the fillo is golden. Remove the top sheet and parchment and allow the fillo to cool to room temperature.

COAT THE FILLO WITH CHOCOLATE

Use a small offset metal spatula or small artist’s brush to apply a very thin coating of chocolate to all the fillo rectangles. Six of the rectangles need to be coated on both sides. Allow the coating to set before applying the chocolate to the second side. Set the coated layers on a baking sheet in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes, or leave at room temperature if it is cool, to set.

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE FILLING

In a large mixer bowl, place the cream and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. Chill the whisk beater alongside the bowl.

Beat the cream until soft peaks form when the beater is raised. Cover and refrigerate.

Have ready near the range a 1-cup heatproof glass measure.

In a small heavy saucepan (preferably with a nonstick lining), stir together the sugar and water. Heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is bubbling. Stop stirring and turn down the heat to the lowest setting. (If using an electric range, remove the pan from the heat.)

In a mixer bowl, preferably with the whisk beater, on high speed, beat the egg and yolks until very thick and pale yellow.

Increase the heat under the syrup and boil it until a thermometer registers 236°F. (soft ball stage). Immediately pour the syrup into the glass measure to stop
the cooking. If using an electric hand-held mixer, beat the syrup into the yolks in a steady stream. To keep syrup from spinning onto the sides of the bowl, do not allow it to fall directly on the beaters. If using a stand mixer, pour a small amount of syrup over the eggs with the mixer off. Immediately beat at high speed for 5 seconds. Stop the mixer and add a larger amount of syrup. Beat at high speed for 5 seconds. Continue with the remaining syrup. With the last addition, use a rubber scraper to remove the syrup clinging to the measure. Scrape the chocolate into the egg mixture and beat until uniform. Immediately, so that the chocolate does not start to become firm, beat in a few spoonfuls of the whipped cream. Remove the mixer from the stand, if using, and use the whisk beater or a large whisk to fold in the remaining cream in three parts. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours before piping.

ASSEMBLE THE NAPOLEONS

Fill the pastry bag, fitted with the star tube, with the chocolate mousse. Pipe a small star of the mixture onto each serving plate to affix the pastry. (I like to set the Napoleon toward one side and place the sauce and griottes on the other.) For each Napoleon, set a fillo rectangle (one coated only on one side) on top of the chocolate star, chocolate side up. Pipe two rows of shells (see page 621) side by side
down each rectangle. Place the fillo rectangle coated on both sides with the chocolate on top and pipe a second layer of shells onto each. Dust the plain side of the remaining fillo rectangles lightly with the reserved cocoa and place, chocolate side down, on top of the napoleons. If desired, spoon 2 tablespoons of the pistachio sauce onto one side of each napoleon and place 3 griottes on top.

VARIATION

NAPOLEONS WITH EGGLESS CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
(4
CUPS
/28
OUNCES
/800
GRAMS
) Substitute this mousse for the chocolate mousse filling.

Break 8 ounces (226 grams) Valrhona Guanaja (or other 70 percent chocolate cocoa solids) or fine-quality bittersweet chocolate into pieces and process it in a food processor with the metal blade until it is very fine. Heat 2
liquid cups (21.6 ounces/612 grams) heavy cream to the boiling point and, with the motor running, pour it through the feed tube in a steady stream. Process for a few seconds or until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large mixer bowl and refrigerate it for at least 6 hours.

Beat the mousse
only
until very soft peaks form when the beater is raised. It will continue to thicken after a few minutes at room temperature.

STORE

Fillo rectangles, room temperature, airtight, up to 3 days.

Chocolate mousse: The basic version can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 hours, but it is best piped before it becomes too stiff; the eggless mousse can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. The finished Napoleons are best held at room temperature for no longer than 6 hours. (The chocolate filling is most delicious when not refrigerator-hard.)

UNDERSTANDING

Couverture chocolate is best for coating the baked pastry because the high amount of cocoa butter makes it more fluid when melted, so it forms the thinnest coating. Its purpose is to moisture-proof the fillo (though the fillo will stay crunchy for at least 3 hours without it), and it also adds splendid flavor.