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
Arrange the puff pastry, pricked well on a large baking sheet. Cover with several heavy baking sheets and bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes or until golden brown. Cut the pastry while still warm into 12 3 inch squares. In a teflon pan cook 1/3 cup of the sugar swirling the pan over moderate heat, until is is a deep creamed 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 bananas pastry cream and praline, top the second layer with a pastry square and decorate the top with confectioners sugar and remainig whipped cream the orange slices and the mint.
