White chocolate mascarpone cream:
6 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Mocha mascarpone cream:
6 ounces Swiss dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, such as Medaglia d'Oro
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Assembly:
One half 17 1/4-ounce box (one sheet) frozen puff pastry,
such as Pepperidge Farm
Nonstick cooking spray
Dark mocha sauce:
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup strongly brewed coffee
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur
Crème anglaise:
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Garnish:
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Cocoa, for dusting
Chocolate-covered espresso beans
Make the white chocolate mascarpone cream:
1. Place the white chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan,
bring 3/4 cup of the cream to a gentle boil. Remove from heat. Pour the hot cream
over the
chocolate. Let the mixture stand for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate. Gently whisk until
smooth. Whisk in the mascarpone cheese, vanilla and almond extract. Cover the mixture with
plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Make the mocha mascarpone cream:
2. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan bring
3/4 cup of the cream and the espresso powder to a gentle boil. Pour the hot cream over the
chocolate. Let the mixture stand for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate. Gently whisk until
smooth. Whisk in the mascarpone cheese, coffee liqueur and cinnamon. Cover the mixture
with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Make the pastry layers:
3. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 375
degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper.
4. Thaw the sheet of puff pastry according to the package directions.
Lay the sheet on a lightly floured work surface. Using a large chef's knife, trim the
sheet so that it is a perfect square. Using a fork, prick the pastry well all over its
surface. Using the knife, cut the sheet into four squares . Transfer the squares to the
prepared baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes.
5. Remove the prepared pastry squares from the freezer. Spray a wire
rack which is the same size as the baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place the
rack upside down over the pastry squares. Bake the squares for 20 to 25 minutes, until
golden. Transfer the squares to a wire rack and cool completely.
6. Using a large knife, cut each of the squares in half diagonally to
form 8 triangles. Using a small knife, carefully slice each triangle in half crosswise to
form two thin layers from each triangle. There will be a total of 16 triangles.
Make the dark mocha sauce:
7. Melt the chocolate with the coffee according to the directions in
the Chocolate
Key. In a small saucepan bring the cream to a gentle boil. Gradually whisk
the cream into the melted chocolate until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and coffee liqueur.
The sauce may be made up to 5 days in advance and refrigerated, covered, until serving.
Reheat the sauce over simmering water before serving.
Make the crème anglaise:
8. In a heavy, medium non-corrosive saucepan, bring the milk, cream
and vanilla bean to a gentle boil over medium low heat. Cover the pan, remove it from the
heat and let the mixture stand for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean pieces. Using a
small, sharp knife, scrape the tiny black seeds from the inside of the vanilla bean into
the milk mixture.
9. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until blended.
Gradually whisk the warm milk mixture into the yolk mixture until blended. Return this
mixture back to the saucepan. Continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring constantly
with a wooden spoon for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the custard has thickened slightly. It is
done when you can run your finger down the back of the custard-coated spoon and a path
remains in the custard for several seconds. Do not let the custard come to a boil.
10. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately strain the custard into
a noncorrosive metal bowl. Place the bowl in a larger bowl of iced water and stir the
custard for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cold. (The crème anglaise sauce may be prepared up
to two days in advance, cooled, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated.)
Assemble the napoleons:
11. Remove the white chocolate and mocha mascarpone creams from the
refrigerator. In their separate bowls, whisk each of the creams to soft peaks.
12. In a large chilled bowl, combine the remaining 3/4 cup heavy cream
from the white chocolate mascarpone cream with the remaining 3/4 cup heavy cream from the
mocha mascarpone cream. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat the cream at medium-high
speed to soft peaks. Do not overbeat. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold one-half
of the whipped cream (about 1 1/2 Cups) into the white chocolate mascarpone cream. Fold
the remaining whipped cream into the mocha mascarpone cream.
13. Fill two pastry bags fitted with medium star tips (such as Ateco #5)
with each of the creams. Place a puff pastry triangle on a work surface. Dust the triangle
with confectioners' sugar. Pipe a layer of mocha mascarpone cream onto the triangle. Top
with another puff triangle. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Pipe a layer of white
chocolate mascarpone cream over the second triangle. Garnish the napoleon with a
chocolate-covered espresso bean. Repeat this layering process with the remaining puff
pastry triangles to form a total of six napoleons.
14. Spoon some dark mocha sauce on a dessert plate. Fill a squeeze bottle
with crème anglaise sauce. Pipe a spiral of crème anglaise over the mocha sauce. Draw a
toothpick from the center of the plate to the edge, all around the plate at 1-inch
intervals. Place a napoleon in the center of the plate. Dust with cocoa powder, if
desired. Serve immediately.
- Tish Boyle