Chocolate Raspberry Napoleons Recipes

Steps:

• Line a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside. Place raspberries (if using fresh raspberries, reserve 1/2 cup for garnish) in a medium skillet over medium heat. Simmer until raspberries begin to break down and liquid is released, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer raspberries to a food processor, and puree, about 20 seconds. Pass through a fine sieve. Set aside to cool.
• Fill a large bowl with ice and water; set aside. Bring a stockpot 1/4 full of water to a boil. Let simmer. In a medium stainless-steel bowl, whisk together egg yolks, 2 tablespoons sugar, corn syrup, and kirsch or champagne; place over simmering water. Whisking constantly, cook until mixture thickens (when whisk is lifted over the mixture, the ribbonlike trail it leaves on the surface should hold its shape for 1 or 2 seconds), about 4 minutes. Transfer bowl to the ice-water bath; whisk mixture while it cools. Add 3/4 cup raspberry puree to mixture; whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on high speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. While mixer is running, gradually add remaining 6 tablespoons sugar; beat until very stiff, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Beat cream with whisk attachment until stiff; fold into egg whites.
• Fold raspberry mixture into egg whites and cream. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan; cover with plastic wrap. Transfer to the freezer; freeze until hardened, at least 4 hours. This can be prepared up to 2 days in advance.
• To make the raspberry sauce, stir superfine sugar into the remaining raspberry puree (about 2 tablespoons). Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• To serve, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter (2 1/2 inches across at the widest point) to cut out 4 hearts from the semifreddo. Divide the raspberry sauce between 2 dessert plates. Place a chocolate heart, off center, on top of the raspberry sauce. Place a semifreddo heart on each chocolate heart and repeat layering until there are 3 layers of chocolate and 2 layers of semifreddo, ending with a chocolate heart. Garnish with the reserved fresh raspberries (if using), sift confectioners' sugar over the raspberries, if desired.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400ºF.
• Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface; cut along fold lines into 3 rectangles. Cut each rectangle crosswise into 4 smaller rectangles; place on baking sheet. Bake 15 min. or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• Meanwhile, melt 6 oz. chocolate as directed on package; set aside. Beat whipping cream in medium bowl with mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.
• Beat melted chocolate, cream cheese, powdered sugar and liqueur in large bowl with mixer on medium speed until well blended. Whisk in whipped cream.
• Split each pastry rectangle in half. Spread each bottom half with 3 Tbsp. chocolate mixture. Cover with raspberries and pastry tops. Melt remaining chocolate; drizzle over pastries.

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.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out puff pastry to a 10-by-15-inch rectangle. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Prick pastry all over with a fork. Cover completely with another sheet of parchment paper; weight with another baking sheet (same size or slightly smaller) to prevent pastry from puffing up unevenly. Bake, occasionally pressing top sheet down, until pastry is golden, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove top sheet and parchment, and let pastry cool.
• Transfer pastry to a cutting board. With a serrated knife, carefully trim and discard edges; cut into 12 equal pieces.
• Dividing evenly, put a large dollop of pudding (2 to 3 tablespoons) on 8 of the 12 pastry pieces; top with raspberries and a little more pudding.
• Assemble napoleons on serving plates: For each napoleon, stack two pieces of pastry already topped with pudding and raspberries, then top with a plain piece. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar.
• Make Raspberry Sauce (optional): In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup raspberry jam and 1 tablespoon water; pass through a fine-mesh sieve. Thin with additional water if needed.
• Garnish plate with Raspberry Sauce, if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll out 1 puff pastry sheet on a floured work surface until it is 1/4-inch thick. Cut into 16 squares. Transfer to a baking sheet and prick all over with a fork. Repeat with remaining puff pastry sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned on the top and bottom, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool, about 10 minutes.
• Combine cream cheese, white sugar, heavy cream, and lemon zest in a bowl. Mix by hand until smooth and glossy. Dollop cream cheese mixture over 16 squares. Spread out cream cheese mixture and cover with raspberries. Top with the remaining puff pastry squares and dust with confectioners' sugar.

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.

Steps:

• Place the raspberries, wine and raspberry liqueur in a blender; cover and process until pureed. Strain raspberry mixture, reserving juice; discard seeds. Set aside., Layer two sheets of phyllo dough on a baking sheet; brush with butter. Keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out. Repeat layers four times. Cut stack in half lengthwise, then cut widthwise, forming 12 rectangles. Repeat with remaining dough on three additional baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on pans on wire racks., In a large bowl, combine the berries, orange liqueur and 2 tablespoons reserved raspberry juice; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form., Drizzle 1 tablespoon remaining raspberry sauce over each serving plate. Place one phyllo rectangle over sauce; layer each with 1/4 cup berries and 2 tablespoons whipped cream. Top with remaining phyllo.

Steps:

• Stir white chocolate in large bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Bring milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk milk barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove chocolate from heat. Bring milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk milk into chocolate. Let chocolate mixture cool until just beginning to thicken, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream and vanilla in another large bowl until medium-firm peaks form. Fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture in 3 additions. Cover and refrigerate.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 17x11x1-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out 1 pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 15x12-inch rectangle. Cut crosswise into three 12x5-inch rectangles. Repeat rolling and cutting with remaining pastry sheet to make six 12x5-inch pastry rectangles total. Transfer 2 pastry rectangles to prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly. Cover remaining pastry rectangles and chill.
• Pierce pastry rectangles on baking sheet all over with fork. Top with second piece of parchment. Place another 17x11x1-inch baking sheet atop parchment to weigh down pastry rectangles as they cook. Bake pastries until edges and bottoms are golden, about 10 minutes. Remove baking sheet and parchment paper from atop pastries. Turn pastries over. Continue baking uncovered until bottoms are golden, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer pastries to rack; cool. Repeat piercing and baking with remaining 4 pastry rectangles in 2 more batches. (White chocolate cream and pad pastry rectangles can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep cream refrigerated. Store pastry rectangles airtight at room temperature.)
• Place 1 pastry rectangle on work surface. Spread 1 1/2 cups of chocolate cream over pastry. Gently toss all berries in large bowl. Arrange of berries in single layer over chocolate cream. Place second pastry rectangle atop berries. Spread 1 cups of chocolate cream atop second pastry rectangle. Top with of berries. Top with third pastry rectangle. Repeat with remaining 3 pastry rectangles, chocolate cream and berries to form second napoleon. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Refrigerate.) Using serrated knife, cut each pastry crosswise into 10 equal pieces. Sprinkle powdered sugar over each and serve.