Description
Strawberry Napoleons are a delightful French-inspired dessert featuring layers of crisp puff pastry, fresh macerated strawberries, and fluffy whipped cream. This elegant yet simple treat combines the buttery texture of baked puff pastry with the natural sweetness and slight tartness of strawberries, making it a perfect summer dessert or special occasion indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Puff Pastry
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
Strawberry Filling
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Garnish
- Additional powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare Puff Pastry: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unfold the thawed puff pastry and lightly roll it to smooth the seams. Cut the pastry into 9 equal rectangles and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Prick each rectangle several times with a fork to prevent excessive puffing during baking.
- Bake Puff Pastry: Bake the puff pastry rectangles for 12 to 15 minutes or until they are golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Macerate Strawberries: In a medium bowl, combine the sliced strawberries with granulated sugar and lemon juice. Stir gently and let the mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes until the strawberries become slightly syrupy.
- Make Whipped Cream: In a separate chilled bowl, beat the cold heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until stiff peaks form, creating a light and fluffy whipped cream.
- Assemble Napoleons: Carefully slice each puff pastry rectangle in half horizontally to create two layers. Spread or pipe the whipped cream evenly onto the bottom half of each rectangle. Spoon the macerated strawberries over the cream, then place the top layer of puff pastry over the filling to complete the Napoleon layers.
- Garnish and Serve: Dust the assembled Strawberry Napoleons with additional powdered sugar before serving. For best results, chill the assembled desserts for 20 minutes to enhance stability and keep the pastry crisp.
Notes
- For extra stability, chill the assembled napoleons for 20 minutes before serving to help the layers set.
- You can substitute mascarpone for part of the whipped cream for a richer, creamier filling.
- Assemble the napoleons just before serving to maintain the crispness of the puff pastry.
