Tasty Tuesdays: Caramelized Apple Napoleons

recipe, presentation and photograph created by Peggy Bucholz  www.finedinings.com

We have a guest coming in this weekend, and we thought it would be fun to host a little dinner party to celebrate!  Even though it's not quite fall yet, I have been craving this roasted lemon chicken with croutons that my friend Christie made a while back.  

Since the recipe comes from Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris, I thought we'd have a French theme for dinner.  We're going to start with mini croque monsieurs followed by a mixed green salad with baked goat cheese croutons.  For our entree we will have Ina's delicious lemon baked chicken, and for dessert, I am going to try my hand at these caramelized apple napoleons.

One of the tastiest thing we ate in Paris was a mille feuille (a Napoleon as we know it).  It translates to a million layers, and who can resist a million layers of pastry dough covered in caramelized apples and whipped cream!

Bon Appétit!

Caramel Apple Napoleon Puff Pastry Dessert

  serves 2

Prepare Puff Pastry

Frozen puff pastry, thawed

1/2 teaspoon powdered sugar

Cut into 6 (3-1/2 x 3-1/2-inch) squares, place on baking sheet; prick with fork and dust with powdered sugar. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes. Flatten with a spatula; bake 5 more minutes until lightly brown; remove from oven to cool. They can be made ahead.

Caramelized Apples

1/2 cup sugar

8 teaspoons water

1 tablespoon butter

1-1/2 cup apples, peeled, cored, sliced thinly

In skillet over medium high heat combine sugar and water; cook until it turns medium amber; lower heat to medium; add butter and apples; cook until apples are tender and browned; remove from heat to cool. They can be made ahead.

Assemble

1/2 teaspoon powdered sugar

2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

2 small scoops ice cream (flavor of your choice) made with a melon baller

fresh Mint sprigs for garnish 

Dust baked squares again with powdered sugar. Place one on plate, add 1/4 of apple mixture; add 2nd square turning a quarter turn, with 1/4 of apple mixture; end with a square turning a quarter turn, each plate should have 3 pastries. Repeat process for each napoleon dessert. 

Garnish plates with almonds, ice cream, mint sprigs and serve Napoleon caramelized apple dessert.