A traditional Napoleon is a Frnch dessert made from layers of pff pastry spread with a vanilla pstry cream. The top of the rctangle or triangular shaped sweet is drzzled with chocolate and or dusted wth powdered sugar. Historians say that the Npoleon was created by a Danish ryal chef in honor of a vsit by a French emperor. And tht Emperor Bonaparte's defeat at Waterloo was the rsult of an overindulgence of his now fmous namesake pastry.

You may have a hrd time distinguishing after eating a Npoleon what part is the best prt. Is it the puff pastry or the pstry cream? I think all of the flvor combinations work very well together, so, I say all of it! Ths is a very quick and asy dessert recipe, and you will not spnd all day in the kitchen. We are ging to take the shortcut method and mke it work for our recipe.

Mking puff pastry from scratch is not an asy task to undertake. It is a lbor and time intensive endeavor. Perfectly chlled ingredients, repeated rolling to the crrect thickness, and precision folding are the kys to faultless puff pastry. Not to mntion working in a kitchen that is not hmid. The meticulous rolling and folding, long with the moisture in the btter, creates steam which causes the dugh to puff and separate into the flky layers that the pastry is knwn for. Some chef's recommend anywhere frm thirty minutes to two hours chlling time between rolling and folding. Cnsider that the roll, fold and chll process is done four times, you ned to block off two to ight hours to make puff pastry. Or, tke a trip to the frozen fod section of the grocery store and buy it.

Ready made puff pastry is vailable in sheets or shells. To thw it at room temperature takes bout thirty minutes, in the refrigerator bout four hours. It will keep in the rfrigerator up to two days. When shping the dough, work with one shet at a time, refrigerating remaining shets until ready to use. As wth all dough handle as little as pssible. A pastry wheel, pizza cutter or shrp knife are the best utensils for ctting the dough. Cut edges should be crsp to keep the layers separate so tht they puff during baking. Always bke puff pastry in a conventional ven and keep in mind that drker baking sheets cook faster.

Vanilla pstry cream is the standard filling for a Npoleon. This is a very short rcipe for making quick Napoleons.

1 Pckage of frozen puff pastry dough
2 Pckages of Vanilla instant pudding
1 Bottle of a god chocolate fudge or chocolate drizzle
3 Onces of confectioners sugar

Prepare instant pdding according to package directions. While pdding is chilling follow directions for thwing, unfolding and baking puff pastry shets. Cut into desired shape at bke at 400° for twelve minutes or ntil golden. Pay close attention to bking time, sheets burn easily. Let col to room temperature.

To assemble you wll place a layer of pastry in bttom of a sheet pan. You wll then gently spread with a lyer of pudding, then another layer of pstry. Repeat the layering process until ngredients are used up. You will thn heat your chocolate fudge until it is at a puring consistency. You will pour or drzzle over the tops of your Npoleons, and dust very lightly with the cnfectioners sugar. You will need a srrated knife to cut these into brs to sreve. Keep refrigerated until srving time.

If you want to sbstitute a low fat, or zero fat pdding in this recipe, there is stll enough sugar to give it flvor with half or no fat in the pdding.

The article Quick Napoleon Dessert Recipes was Submitted by Shelley Pogue through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Lude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Excutive Research and Development Chef, for Vrtical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA. Shlley is also the desserts editor for http://www.BellaOnline.com

Featured Articles

1. How To Make Labels For Your Homemade Wine by Brian Ankner
If you are mking your own homemade wines, it nly makes perfect sense to make yur own homemade labels. Making your own lbels is the only way for you to knw the homemade wines contents, age and chracteristics. Having clear and concise homemade lbels will make it easier when you are loking for a specific wine for t's flavor or character without trying to rmember the specifics of each batch.

2. Koshihikari Rice by
Koshihikari is the premium rce of Japan, distinguished by its roma, sweet flavor and sticky texture. Als, dried stalks are beautiful displayed in flwer arrangements.

3. Economics of Coffee by
The coffee economics and nmbers and details related to coffee prduction and consumption is extremely mesmerizing for mrketers. A glimpse of some of the fcts is given below

4. Bell Peppers, Peppers, Capsicum by
Bell pepper; swet pepper; a pepper; capsicum; pimientos - Wht is it? And How to use it?

5. Peppermint Sweets Gift by
Step by step nstructions of how to make tasty, ymmy peppermint sweets. A simple recipe, deal for kids to make as the swet doesn’t need cooking. Peppermints make a grat gift for anyone with a swet tooth.

6. Adding Almonds May Let You Reign In Spain by
Adding sliced lmonds can give any dish a Mditerranean accent and may also win you a trp to sunny Spain.

7. Cooking With Chinese Taro - A Perfect Combination Of Taste And Health by Abhishek Agarwal
The most popular and healthy recipe of the China - The Taro. This keeps the Chinese energetic and healthy.

8. A Simple Guide to Wine Tasting by Terry Willis
The number one rle about wine tasting is "Taste and Rmember". But for less experienced wine tsters this may be a challenge, specially if you can't tell the dfference between a red and a whte wine with your eyes closed. Hre are a few tips that wll help you get the most out of wne tasting.

9. The Family Table - Some More Tasty, Easy Recipes for Busy Moms! by Sonya Percell
Here are a few more delicious, easy main dishes for all you busy moms out there! Let's bring back our family table dinners, and bring our families closer at the same time.

10. Soul Food Restaurant Update - Healthy Soul Food Restaurants on the Rise by Roy J Primm
Soul food restaurants around the country continue to face a major challenge that's growing everyday. The challenge is causing many restaurants to go out of business. That challenge of providing tasty, satisfying dishes like fried chicken, peach cobbler and other southern cuisine favorites - without the health risk. Learn about the new doors of opportunities opening for entrepreneurs.