"Tonight.......Chocolate-Berry Napoleons!!!Oh Yum!"

I was looking for an easy recipe so that I might practice with Puff Pastry. For now it is store bought, as I learn about the texture and feel of working with it.........But some day I will learn to make my own. I do hear it can be pretty simple.

"Chocolate-Berry Napoleons"

You will Need;

For the pastry:

1-2 sheets frozen Puff Pastry, thawed (from a 17 1/2 ounce package)

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

For the Sauce:

2 Cups whole strawberries, hulled

1/2 Cup hot water

2 Tablespoons Strawberry Preserves

For the Filling:

1/4 Cup Milk Chocolate Chips

4 squares (4 ounces) semisweet chocolate

1 Cup Whipping cream, divided

2 Tablespoons finely chopped toasted hazelnuts

For Garnish:

1/2 Tablespoon powdered confectioners' sugar

1/4 Cup Whipping Cream

1 Tablespoon finely chopped toasted hazelnuts

Handy items to have are:

3 inch round cookie cutter

parchment paper

pastry bag fitted with a large star tip

This makes 6 servings

Baking the Pastry

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, using a cookie cutter, cut 12 rounds from pastry. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet; sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 5 minutes.

2. Using a spatula, transfer and invert 6 pastry rounds onto another ungreased baking sheet; lightly flatten rounds and cover with parchment paper. Place a baking sheet on top of these 6 rounds to keep them flat, about 1 minute, These will be your bottoms...................

3. Return both sheets of pastry rounds to the oven; bake until lightly golden, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks; cool for at least 30 minutes.

Making the Sauce

In a blender or food processor, puree strawberries, water and preserves until smooth, about 1 minute. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 4 hours.

Filling the Napoleons

1. In a double boiler set over simmering water, melt both chocolates, stirring constantly, about 4 minutes from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup cream, blending well. Cover; chill for 1 hour.

2. In a large bowl using an electric mixer set on high speed, beat remaining cream until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes or less. Fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture and add finely chopped hazelnuts.

3. Lay flattened pastry rounds in a baking pan. Spoon chocolate mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe an even layer of the chocolate filling onto each round. Gently top filling with a puffed round.

Garnishing the Napoleons

Dust Napoleons with confectioners' sugar. Pour sauce in pools on serving plates, dot cream around edges. Drag the tip of a toothpick lightly through dots of cream to form heart shapes. Place Napoleon in center of each plate, sprinkle with nuts and serve

Your family will think you spent all day in the kitchen but you didn't, these are so DE-LISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!