Ingredients
1 pound puff pastry, rolled into a 17x13 inch rectangle
1/3 cup plus 6 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon silvered almonds
3/4 cup milk
3 egg yolks
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup grand marnier
1 cup heavy cream
2 bananas
confectioners sugar
orange slices and mint leaves for garnish
Preparation
Pre heat oven ot 375 degrees
Arrange the puff pastry, pricked well on a large baking sheet. Cover heavy baking sheets and bake in oven for 49 to 50 minutes until golden brown. Cut pastry, while still warm, into twelve 3 inch squares. In a teflon pan cook 1/3 cup of the sugar, swirling the pan, over moderate heat until it is a deep caramel color. Add the almonds and pour the mixture into a lightly oiled pan. When the mixture is cool, chop fine.
In a saucepan, scald the milk with the remaining sugar. In a bowl whisk together the yolks, the rind, a pinch of salt, and the cornstarch. Whisk in the milk and boil the mixture, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, stir in the grand marnier and chill it covered. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and fold 1/2 of it into the pastry cream. To make each napoleon, alternate 2 layers of pastry with thinly sliced banana, pastry cream, and praline, top the second layer with a pastry square and decorate the top with confectioners sugar the remaining whipped cream, the orange slices and the mint.
