Praline napoleons with almond cream filling
Instructions:
You can make puff pastry from scratch by following
the recipes.
All-purpose flour, for work surface
1 sheet from 1 box (17 1/4 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 cups sugar
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds, toasted and finely chopped (about 7 ounces)
- Vegetable oil, for spatula
- Almond Cream Filling
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Place pastry on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out twelve 4 1/2 x 2 3/4-inch rectangles; transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and prick with a fork. Brush with egg, and cover with parchment. Top with a baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
- With top sheet still in place, bake until pastry is crisp and golden, 30 to 32 minutes. Remove top sheet and parchment. Let pastry cool completely on bottom parchment on a wire rack.
- Meanwhile, line a rimmed baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat. Stir together sugar, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan over mediumhigh heat. Cook, without stirring, until sugar begins to melt and turn light amber, about 3 minutes. Wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush as needed to prevent crystals from forming. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture turns dark amber, about 8 minutes.
- Remove from heat; stir in almonds. Pour mixture onto prepared sheet. Using an oiled offset spatula, spread to 1/8 inch thick. Let cool completely. Transfer half of the praline to a plastic bag; using a rolling pin, gently crush into very small pieces; set aside. Break remaining praline into large pieces.
- Transfer the almond cream filling to a pastry bag fitted with a petal tip (such as Wilton #127). Pipe filling onto 6 pastry rectangles; sprinkle each with crushed praline. Layer with another pastry rectangle and filling. Top each with a piece of praline.
- MAKES 6