What you get from chefs in restaurants today can resemble the conversation at a cocktail party: some of it is smart, but most of it is ostentation. This aesthetic trend, which drives chefs to build food sculptures that fall to pieces at the first touch of a fork, can be seen perfectly in the proliferation of layered dishes fashioned after the great Napoleon, the classic French pastry that has become just about anything you can imagine, as long as it comes stacked high.
The Napoleon, also known as mille-feuille, resembles a prim rectangle of alternating layers of flaky puff pastry and cream. Contrary to popular belief, this dessert has nothing to do with the French emperor or his defeat at Waterloo. The original name was gateau Napolitain after the city of Naples, later corrupted into the name Napoleon.
Needless to say, this grand old dessert has not only sated many a sweet tooth but also provided connoisseurs with a method to anchor their creative zest to some form of tradition. To celebrate national strawberry month, here is an easy-to-make recipe that’s tall on taste.
.jpg)
Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):
1 sheet of puff pastry
400g fresh strawberries
200g strawberry glaze
500g Kraft Cool Whip
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Preparation:
1) Prepare one sheet of puff pastry and cut it into 5-by-6-centimeter squares.
2) Bake at 350 degrees Celsius until golden brown. Let cool then cut lengthwise. Set aside.
3) Take the fresh strawberries and slice in halves. Remove the green stems. Place the strawberries in the packs of strawberry glaze and refrigerate for two hours.
4) Take out the pastry puff squares and arrange on plate. Add Cool Whip on the bottom part and, on top of that, add the strawberries in the glaze. Add another layer of pastry.
5) Repeat the process one more time.
6) Sprinkle the pastry with powdered sugar. Dollop on whipped topping in the middle and drizzle with leftover strawberry glaze. Serve immediately.
// This recipe is courtesy of Langham Place, Guangzhou.
.jpg)
.jpg)
0 User Comments