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Phyllo Napoleons

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Phyllo Napoleons

Cuisine:French

Course:Dessert

30m prep 25m cook 55m ready

9 servings These informal pastries are much easier to make than their puff pastry counterpart, Mille-Feuille. They can be filled as directed with pastry cream, but feel free to improvise, using flavored pastry cream and adding fresh fruit, such as raspberries or sliced strawberries, between the layers.

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Ingredients

Servings:
½× 1× 1½× 2× 3×
Units:
As Written US Metric
  • 1
    • ½ cup sugar
    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 3 large egg yolks
    • 1 large egg
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 ½ cups whole milk
    • (1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise)
    • 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
    • (1 teaspoon vanilla)
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Whisk together in a medium heatproof bowl until smooth: ½ cup sugar; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 3 large egg yolks; 1 large egg; ¼ teaspoon salt
    2. Bring to a simmer in a medium saucepan: 1 ½ cups whole milk; (1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise)
    3. If using, remove the vanilla bean and set aside. Slowly pour half the hot milk over the egg mixture while whisking it constantly. Whisk the tempered egg mixture into the saucepan with the remaining milk and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat until the cream thickens, about 2 minutes. Immediately scrape the custard into a clean bowl and stir in: 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
    4. If you used a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds from the pod and stir into the pastry cream. If you did not use vanilla bean, stir in, if desired: (1 teaspoon vanilla)
    5. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool, then refrigerate before using. This keeps, refrigerated, for up to 2 days. When ready to use, transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, and beat on low speed until smooth and creamy.
  • ½ pound phyllo dough, thawed if frozen
  • 1 stick (4 oz or 115g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1
  • Powdered sugar

Let's Prepare

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • 1 Any flavor pastry cream
  • ½ pound phyllo dough, thawed if frozen
  • 1 stick (4 oz or 115g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 (Sugar or any flavored sugar)
  • Powdered sugar

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Prepare and chill: Any flavor pastry cream

  2. Step 2.

    Preheat the oven to 400°F. Have 2 ungreased baking sheets ready.

  3. Step 3.

    Have ready: ½ pound phyllo dough, thawed if frozen; 1 stick (4 oz or 115g) unsalted butter, melted

  4. Step 4.

    Lay the phyllo flat on a work surface and cover with a dry towel, then with a damp towel while you work. Place 2 sheets of phyllo on top of one another on a work surface. Brush the top sheet of phyllo with butter, and, if desired, sprinkle lightly with: (Sugar or any flavored sugar)

  5. Step 5.

    Place two more sheets of phyllo on top, brush with butter, and sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Repeat this, buttering and sugaring every other sheet of phyllo, until there are 8 layers. Brush the top layer with butter, and, if desired, sprinkle with more sugar. Cut the phyllo in half lengthwise to create 2 long rectangles. Cut the rectangles crosswise into 2-inch-wide rectangles. Transfer to the baking sheet and nest a second baking sheet directly on top to press the phyllo flat and prevent it from warping during baking.

  6. Step 6.

    Bake until the phyllo is browned and crisp, 11 to 13 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat the process with remaining phyllo sheets, butter, and sugar, if using.

  7. Step 7.

    To assemble each napoleon, spread or pipe pastry cream in a ½-inch layer on top of one phyllo rectangle, then top with a second piece of phyllo. Spread or pipe another ½-inch layer of pastry cream, then top with a third and final layer of phyllo. Repeat with remaining phyllo rectangles and pastry cream. Dust the tops of the napoleons with: Powdered sugar

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