Heart-shaped Raspberry Napoleons

Nothing says Valentine's Day quite like a delicious mix of puff pastry, raspberries and cream. We're looking forward to sharing our tasty Heart-shaped Raspberry Napoleons with the Valentine's Day Couples Class next week, but we thought we'd share a little preview here. The recipes below are adapted from Martha Stewart. 

If you're dying to try them, we've got space for one more couple in our Valentine's Day Couples Class--sign up here.

Also, if you missed our February Meal Planner, you can download it here. This was a big hit! We'll continue to post tips and resources for easy meal planning, so stay tuned.

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Heart-shaped Raspberry Napoleons

by CookingThyme

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound frozen puff pastry, thawed
• Pastry Cream (see recipe below)
• Fresh raspberries
• Toasted coconut-optional
• Powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Place puff pastry on cutting board and roll lightly with rolling pin.

3. Cut out 12 (2 1/2”) hearts and place on parchment lined cookie sheet

4. Poke holes all over hearts.

5. Top with another piece of parchment paper and place another cookie sheet on top of paper. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

6. Fill pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 star tip with pastry cream. Place 1 heart shaped puff on a dessert plate. Pipe pastry cream over the surface almost to the edge. Place raspberries around edge. Top with another heart and repeat process. Top with third pastry heart. Put a dollop of pastry cream in the center, and dust edges with powdered sugar. Top with one raspberry and toasted coconut if desired.

Pastry Cream

by CookingThyme

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 /2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out
• Pinch of salt
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine milk, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, vanilla bean and seeds. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a simmer.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup sugar.

3. Whisking constantly, slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot-milk mixture into the egg-yolk mixture. Continue to add 1/2 cup at time until it has all been incorporated. Pour mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium high heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and registers 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer, about 2 minutes. Remove and discard vanilla bean.

4. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add butter and beat on medium speed until the butter melts and the mixture cools, about 5 minutes.

5. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Just before using, beat on low speed until smooth, or whisk by hand.

6. Optional: add 1 tsp of Grand Marnier to pastry cream before chilling.