Mara des Bois Strawberry Napoleons - butter

Method

• Preheat the oven to 375.
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 12-by-6-inch rectangle.
• Trim the pastry into 4 neat rectangles, 6-by-3 inches each.
• Cut each rectangle into 3 equal pieces and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.
• Chill for 10 minutes.
• Poke each piece 3 times with a fork.
• Cover the pastry with parchment paper and top with another baking sheet to prevent the pastry from puffing.
• Bake for about 35 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and crisp.
• Remove the top baking sheet and parchment and let the pastry pieces cool completely.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the milk and sugar to a simmer.
• Add the lemon verbena and the vanilla bean and seeds.
• Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
• Strain the milk into a heatproof measuring cup.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the cornstarch and flour.
• Gradually whisk in the hot milk.
• Pour the mixture into the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until the pastry cream is very thick, about 4 minutes.
• Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl.
• In a small glass bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand until softened.
• Microwave the gelatin for 5 seconds, or until melted.
• Whisk the gelatin into the warm pastry cream.
• Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the pastry cream and refrigerate for about 1 hour, or until it is thoroughly chilled.
• In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream until stiff.
• Beat half of the whipped cream into the pastry cream.
• Fold in the remaining whipped cream with a rubber spatula.
• Refrigerate the pastry cream until chilled.
• Arrange all of the puff pastry pieces on a work surface.
• Brush 4 of the pieces with the raspberry jam and the remaining 8 pieces with the apricot jam.
• Spoon a scant 1/4 cup of the pastry cream onto the 4 raspberry-topped pieces and 4 of the apricot-topped pieces.
• Arrange the strawberries over the cream filling; reserve 4 of the whole or sliced strawberries for garnish.
• Dollop any remaining cream over the strawberries.
• Stack the raspberry layers on top of the cream-filled apricot layers, pressing lightly.
• Top the stacks with the remaining apricot-topped layers.
• Refrigerate the napoleons until chilled, 4 to 6 hours.
• Garnish the napoleons with the reserved strawberries and serve.