Napoleons

Recipe View 5 mins Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). (5 minutes)

Recipe View 15 mins Roll out 3 sheets of puff pastry, each to the same size and a thickness of 1/8 inch. Prick with a fork, and place on baking sheets. (15 minutes)

Recipe View 10 mins Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 10 minutes. (10 minutes)

Recipe View 10 mins In a medium bowl, combine cornstarch and 1/2 cup milk with your fingers until smooth. Stir in cake flour and half of the sugar. Beat in egg yolks. Set aside. (10 minutes)

Recipe View 20 mins In a saucepan over medium heat, bring remaining milk and remaining sugar to a rolling boil. Stir in egg yolk mixture; continue stirring and bring to a boil again. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Let cool. (20 minutes)

Recipe View 5 mins In a small saucepan or in the microwave, heat jam until runny. (5 minutes)

Recipe View 25 mins Place one sheet of pastry on a board. Spread with cooled pastry cream to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Place a second pastry sheet over cream. Brush with fruit glaze. Spread remaining pastry cream over glaze. Top with final pastry sheet and gently compress layers, using a baking sheet to press. (25 minutes)

Recipe View 30 mins To make icing, beat together confectioners' sugar and lemon juice with enough egg whites to make a creamy consistency like that of a cream soup. Working quickly, color a small portion of frosting with red food coloring. Frost the top and sides of the assembled pastry with white icing. Pipe parallel lines of red icing on top of the dessert, then draw a pick or knife crosswise through icing to make the traditional design. Let icing set before cutting into bars. (30 minutes)