Pear Pecan Napoleon Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat 400 degrees F.
• Chop the pecans to the consistency of rough crumbs. Toss with the butter, sugars and cinnamon in a small bowl. Spread the mixture out onto a baking sheet and cook in the oven 7 to 10 minutes, until darkened and lightly caramelized. Set aside to cool.
• Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface to 1/16-inch thickness. Cut the puff pastry sheet into 12 squares, approximately 3 by 3 inches. Lay out on a baking sheet and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
• Melt the butter with both the sugars in a skillet over medium heat. Add the pears. Cook until pears are just tender and juices thicken to a syrup consistency, about 6 to 8 minutes.
• Whip the cream, granulated sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl until it forms soft peaks.
• Place a puff pastry square in the center of a serving bowl or plate. Top with a few pears, whipped cream and pecan pieces. Repeat this process 2 more times ending with a sprinkle of nuts.

Steps:

• Make the pastry cream: Whisk 1/2 cup milk, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, the salt, egg yolks and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Combine the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk and 1/3 cup granulated sugar with the vanilla seeds and pod in a medium saucepan; bring to a low simmer over medium heat. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the bowl with the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return to the pan and bring to a simmer, whisking; cook, whisking, until thickened, 1 more minute. Transfer to a bowl and remove the vanilla pod. Lay plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, roast the peaches: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the peaches, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla seeds and pod in a medium bowl; toss gently to coat. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and spread in a single layer. Roast, tossing once, until tender and glossy, about 30 minutes. Let cool.
• Cook the puff pastry: Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Unroll the puff pastry sheets on a generously floured surface and arrange them so they overlap by about 2 inches to make 1 large piece of pastry. Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll out the dough into a 17-by-12-inch rectangle. Carefully transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and prick all over with a fork. Bake, pricking it again halfway through, until golden and crisp, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cutting board and cut crosswise into 3 equal pieces.
• Assemble the napoleon: Lay 1 piece of puff pastry on a platter. Spread with half of the pastry cream, then top with half of the roasted peaches. Repeat with another piece of puff pastry and the remaining pastry cream and peaches, reserving a few peach slices for topping. Top with the remaining piece of puff pastry and dust with confectioners' sugar. Top with the reserved peaches. Slice with a serrated knife.

Steps:

• For the Pears: Put wine, juice, cinnamon, lemon juice, and sugar substitute in a pot, and bring to a boil. Take off the heat and add some clear glaze to slightly thicken the mixture. Add the sliced pears to the mixture and cool.
• Pastry Cream: Bring to a boil the milk, margarine, and split vanilla bean. Combine eggbeaters, sugar, and cornstarch and add to boiled milk. Cook until thick. Fold pastry cream with some whipped cream.
• Napoleon Sheets: Cut phyllo into rectangle shape. Spray each layer with vegetable spray (4 layers total). Sprinkle top with sugar substitute and bake until golden brown. Each set of Napoleon requires 3 rectangles per order.
• Pear and Berry Napoleon Assembly: In the center of a plate, layer a dollop of pastry cream, a phyllo square, a dollop of cream and berries. Repeat with another phyllo square, pastry cream, and berries. Top with phyllo square and a light sprinkle of powdered sugar. Spoon pears around. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Oil a 30 x 24cm swiss roll tin and line with baking parchment. Put the eggs, vanilla and both sugars in a large bowl, and beat with an electric whisk for 5 mins, or until thickened and doubled in volume. The beaters should leave a thick trail when lifted out of the mixture.
• Sift over the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and ¼ tsp salt, and very gently fold in using a large metal spoon. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 10-15 mins until golden and springy. Leave to cool in the tin a little, then turn out onto a sheet of baking parchment dusted with icing sugar. Roll up from a longer end, along with the parchment, then leave to cool.
• Toss the pears with the lemon juice in a bowl, then tip into a sieve set over a bowl to drain off any excess liquid. Beat together the mascarpone, double cream and 3 tbsp of the maple syrup until thick and spoonable. Tip the pecans into a food processor and blitz until finely chopped, then spread out on a large sheet of baking parchment.
• When the sponge is completely cool, unroll and drizzle over the remaining maple syrup. Spread with three-quarters of the mascarpone mixture, then scatter over the pears and roll up again tightly. Spread the remaining mascarpone all over the outside of the roulade, then swiftly roll in the chopped pecans. Cut into thick slices and serve with an extra drizzle of maple syrup, if you like.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
• Wrap beets in foil and roast until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Let stand until cool enough to handle, then slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Cool completely.
• Meanwhile, finely grate ginger with a Microplane over a kitchen-towel-lined bowl. Carefully gather towel around ginger and squeeze until you have 2 tablespoons ginger juice. Whisk in orange juice, sugar, and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide vinaigrette evenly between 2 small bowls.
• Cut pears lengthwise around core into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut out 18 rounds from slices using cookie cutter and put in one bowl of vinaigrette.
• Cut out 18 rounds from beet slices and put in other bowl. Toss pears and beets with vinaigrette to coat well.
• To assemble napoleons, put 1 beet round on each of 6 plates (see cooks' note, below) and top with a tarragon leaf. Top with 1 pear round, then another tarragon leaf. Repeat layering 2 more times. Discard vinaigrette used for beets.
• Toss greens with some of remaining vinaigrette and place around each napoleon. Finely grate apple (including skin) into a bowl. Spoon a heaping teaspoon apple on top of each napoleon, then sprinkle with sea salt and poppy seeds. Drizzle with more vinaigrette if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 lengthwise strips along fold marks. Cut each strip crosswise into 3 squares; place on baking sheet.
• Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• Split each pastry square horizontally into 2 layers, making a total of 18 squares. Set aside the 9 top layers. Spoon 3 Tbsp. of the whipped topping onto each bottom layer. Drizzle evenly with caramel topping; sprinkle with pecans. Cover with pastry tops; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Store leftover desserts in refrigerator.