Back to Home About Mango & Tomato Contact MePublicity & News Hire Me!Portfolio

8/23/09

Summer Fruit Napoleons

Despite my involvement with Daring Bakers, I'm not really a baker. Wednesday night, however, I had an excellent idea (if I say so myself). That idea, as many other ideas, came to me as I was falling asleep. I thought about a frozen meal that was defrosting in my refrigerator: part of that meal was puffed pastry, which I was supposed to use to wrap a piece of salmon. Instead, I decided, it would be fun to use that puffed pastry to make a summer dessert.
Thursday night when I came home, I made these Summer Fruit Napoleons. All you need is puffed pastry cut into squares and then baked according to the directions on the package (I made a few holes in each square with a fork to make sure the finished product would not be too puffy).

Then, I sliced a few strawberries and a nectarine and layered them with the puffed pastry and vanilla yogurt. Of course you can choose any other fruit and yogurt flavor: it's your food, do with it what you wish :) For example, I think it would be great to use Greek yogurt. And actually, since puffed pastry is not overly sweet, you can make these Napoleons using savory flavors!

This was a very simple dessert to make. I was almost as excited about taking pictures of it as eating it. Speaking of eating, it'd be pretty impossible to eat the Napoleon as is: it's just too high and unstable. The pictures below, thus, show the de-constructed Napoleon: a bit messy, but still delicious! The sweetness of the fruit was offset by the slightly tangy yogurt, and of course the puffed pastry added a superb crunch and butter taste.



In case you just don't feel like building towers with your food, simply combine fruit and yogurt in a bowl and add a few squares of puffed pastry: I doubt anyone will say no to this fresh summery dessert.

ooh, and Photograzing chose it as one of their favorite photos of the day :)

16 comments:

Dewi said...

One of my favorite dessert! Delicious.

Shelby said...

Looks delish! Love the last photo!

BlueToYou said...

oh i love napoleons!! yum!!

Talita said...

I also have a lot of ideas when I'm falling asleep! And these napoleons was a great idea!! Looks gorgeous!

momgateway said...

What a beautiful dessert!

Mary Bergfeld said...

What a wonderful way to use your puff pastry. Your Napolean's look over the top good.

Unknown said...

Wow, this is just beautiful!

Delicious Dishings said...

Beautiful, bright, and summery! Definitely a better use for puff pastry than wrapping salmon!

Deeba PAB said...

Over the top GOOD Olga. These look fabulous! I love the pairings.

redmenace said...

Thanks so much for your wedding favor suggestion! This dessert looks heavenly. So perfect for summer!

Anonymous said...

This is a perfect way to get my daughter to eat her fruits - with puff pastry which she loves! Beautiful dessert!

Thistlemoon said...

Wow! These look absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!!

Shelby said...

Olga, the header looks great! :-)

Sasha said...

Great idea to add fruit to Napoleon. However, Napoleon is just not Napoleon to me without the pastry creme..
Great pictures!

pigpigscorner said...

Love this...so pretty!

Chef Fresco said...

What a feat! Beautiful pics!