Best Apricot Phyllo Napoleons Recipes

LEMON CREAM AND RASPBERRY PHYLLO NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• For Phyllo Squares:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil 2 large baking sheets. Stack phyllo sheets on work surface. Trim to 10 1/2-inch square (reserve scraps for another use). Place 1 phyllo square on work surface (cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap and damp kitchen towel). Sprinkle with 1 generous teaspoon sugar. Top with second phyllo square. Brush lightly with melted unsalted butter. Sprinkle with 1 generous teaspoon sugar. Top with third phyllo square. Sprinkle with 1 generous teaspoon sugar. Cut phyllo stack into 9 equal stacked squares. Arrange stacked phyllo squares an prepared baking sheet. Repeat layering and cutting with remaining 3 phyllo sheets, sugar and butter making total of 18 stacked phyllo squares. Bake until phyllo is golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to racks and cool completely.
• For Lemon Cream:
• Beat cream, 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered sugar and vanilla in large bowl until medium peaks form. Whisk lemon curd in another medium bowl until smooth. Add to cream mixture. Beat to stiff peaks.
• Spread 1 generous tablespoon lemon cream on each of 6 stacked phyllo squares. Top each with 6 raspberries. Layer each with 6 raspberries. Layer each with 1 phyllo square, 1 more tablespoon lemon cream and 6 raspberries (save any remaining lemon cream for another use). Top each with 1 phyllo square. Sift powdered sugar over desserts. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover loosely and refrigerate).

APRICOT AND WALNUT PHYLLO CUPS

Steps:

• Special Equipment: a 12-count mini muffin pan
• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the apricots, walnuts, honey, 1 tablespoon orange zest, orange juice, and cardamom, until the apricots are in 1/4-inch pieces.
• Place a sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface. Brush the dough with melted butter. Place another sheet of dough on top and brush with melted butter. Repeat with remaining dough and melted butter. Using a sharp knife, trim the pastry into a 12 by 9-inch rectangle. Cut the dough into 12 (3-inch) square pieces. Gently press each piece of dough into the muffin pan. Spoon the apricot filling into the cups. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the pastry is golden. Remove from the oven and let the phyllo cups cool for 10 minutes. Using a dessert spoon or a small spatula, remove the phyllo cups from the pan. Place on a rack and cool completely.
• Arrange the phyllo cups on a platter, garnish with orange zest, if using, and serve. Or, store in an airtight plastic container for up to 4 days.

MILLE FEUILLE (NAPOLEON PASTRY SHEETS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone sheet.
• Separate dough at the seams into 4 squares and place on prepared baking sheet. Score the dough all over with the tines of a fork to prevent it from rising too much when baking. Lightly sprinkle dough sheets with white granulated sugar.
• Cover with a sheet of parchment paper and 3 sheets of aluminum foil. Nest another baking sheet on top to apply some pressure to the dough while it bakes.
• Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes; remove top pan and foil and gently peel off the parchment paper. Return pan to oven and bake until pastry is beautifully browned, 10 to 15 minutes. (Optionally, you can bake about 7 minutes after uncovering, then flip sheets over and bake until brown on the other side, another 7 minutes.)
• Transfer to cooling rack and cool completely before cutting.
• Square the sheets by trimming uneven edges off sheets using a sharp serrated knife with light sawing motion to keep the pastry from breaking. Cut each rectangle crosswise into 3 equal smaller rectangles. Use 3 small rectangles per pastry.

APRICOT TART WITH PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lay 1 sheet phyllo on a parchment-lined 12-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon butter and brush to coat the entire phyllo sheet.
• Top with another sheet and butter as above. Repeat with 7 more sheets, for a total of 9, buttering as you go. The final, top layer should also be buttered. (The rest of the phyllo can be wrapped and frozen for future use.)
• Dot the top sheet with jam by the teaspoon, then, using a spatula, spread the jam to cover the entire sheet, leaving a 2-inch border.
• Sprinkle a layer of half the chopped pistachios over the jam. Place the apricot wedges, skin-side down, in even rows across the surface, then sprinkle again with remaining pistachios.
• Carefully fold over the edges on all sides of the tart to make a 10-by-16-inch rectangle. Brush folded sides with butter. Sprinkle sugar generously over apricots and folded edges.
• Bake until pastry is golden and apricots begin to color, about 1 hour. Cool for 15 minutes, then cut into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

APRICOT PHYLLO NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Drain yogurt in a cheesecloth-lined sieve or colander set over a bowl, covered and chilled, 8 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Put stack of phyllo on a work surface and cover stack with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap and then a damp kitchen towel. Stir together butter and oil.
• Arrange 1 phyllo sheet on a large parchment-lined baking sheet, then spread with one fourth of butter mixture using a dampened pastry brush. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Top with 3 more layers in same manner as first with remaining phyllo and butter mixture and 3 teaspoons granulated sugar. Cut stack into 12 rectangles (2 lengthwise cuts, 3 crosswise) and bake in middle of oven until crisp and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack.
• Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a bowl using a small sharp knife. Stir in drained yogurt, sour cream, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat. Add apricots and sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons granulated sugar. Gently toss until apricots are warm and tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer apricots to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
• Add water and remaining teaspoon brown sugar to skillet and deglaze by boiling over moderately high heat, scraping up brown bits, until reduced by about half. Toss apricots in warm syrup.
• Place 1 phyllo rectangle on a plate and top with 3 apricot pieces and 1 generous tablespoon yogurt mixture. Make 2 more layers with phyllo squares, apricots, and yogurt mixture. Make 3 more napoleons in same manner.