Latest revision as of 01:55, 14 July 2013

Serves: 6-8

Active Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

From: July-August 2013 food network magazine

Ingredients

Pastry Cream

2 cups whole milk

2/3 cup granulated sugar

pinch of salt

5 large egg yolks

1/3 cup corn starch

1/2 vanilla bean, split length-wise, seeds scraped out and reserved

Peaches

4 peaches, cut into thin wedges

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

the other half of the vanilla bean, as above

Puff Pastry

cooking spray

2 sheets frozen puff pastry (1 17 ounce package), thawed

1 dusting, all purpose flour

1 dusting confectioners sugar

Directions

Step 1 - Make the pastry cream

Whisk 1/2 cup milk, 1/3 cup sugar, the salt, egg yolks and corn starch in a medium bowl. Combine the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk and 1/3 cup granulated sugar with the vanilla seeds and pod in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a low simmer over medium heat. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the bowl with the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return to the pan and bring to a simmer, whisking, cook, whisking, until thickened, 1 more minute. Transfer to a bowl and remove the vanilla pod. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate for 1 hour, 30 minutes, until cold.

Step 2 - Roast the peaches

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the peaches, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla seeds and pod in a medium bowl. Toss gently to coat. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and spread in a single layer. Roast tossing once until tender and glossy, about 30 minutes. Let cool.

Step 3 - Cook the puff pastry

Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Unroll the puff pastry sheets on a generously floured surface and arrange them so they overlap by about 2 inches so they make one large pastry. Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll out the dough into a 17x12 inch rectangle. Carefully transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and prick all over with a fork. Bake pricking it again 1/2 way through until golden and crisp, 25-35 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheet then transfer to a cutting board. Cut cross-wise into 3 equal pieces.

Step 4 - Assemble the Napoleon

Lay 1 piece of puff pastry on a platter. Spread with 1/2 the pastry cream. Then top with 1/2 of the roasted peaches. Repeat with another piece of puff pastry, remaining pastry cream and peaches, reserving a few peaches for topping. Top with remaining piece of pastry and dust with confectionery sugar. Garnish with reserved peaches. Slice with a serrated knife.