This Simple Strawberry Napoleon is a delightful twist on the traditional French dessert, combining layers of crisp puff pastry with creamy sweetened cream cheese and fresh strawberries. Topped with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, this easy-to-make dessert is perfect for any occasion, offering both elegance and deliciousness. If you’re a fan of easy, impressive desserts, you’ll also enjoy my Cherry Cream Cheese Danish.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Puff Pastry: For this recipe, I used store-bought puff pastry sheets, but if you’re feeling adventurous, you can try making your own puff pastry from scratch, omitting cinnamon for this recipe.
- Egg Wash: A mixture of egg and milk is used to brush on the puff pastry to achieve a golden color when baked. Water can be substituted if you don’t have milk.
- Cream Cheese: I opted for cream cheese in place of traditional pastry cream or custard, giving this dessert a cheesecake-like flavor.
- Strawberry Preserves: If you don’t have strawberry preserves, jam can be used, but keep in mind the texture may change slightly.
- Strawberries: Fresh strawberries are ideal, but frozen, thawed strawberries will also work.
Can I Make Strawberry Napoleon Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can prepare the components ahead of time. The puff pastry layers can be baked and frozen for later use. The cream cheese mixture can be made up to 3-4 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, simply thaw the puff pastry, use the cream cheese filling, and layer with fresh strawberries right before serving.
Can I Use Other Fruits?
Absolutely! You can experiment with other fruits like raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, or a mix of berries to create different versions of Napoleon. Both fresh and frozen fruits can be used.
How to Store Strawberry Napoleon
After assembly, store the Strawberry Napoleon in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 days. It’s best to keep the components (pastry, cream cheese filling, and strawberry filling) separate until just before serving to maintain the texture of the puff pastry. When ready to serve, allow it to sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly.
Ingredients
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons whole milk
- 2 packages (16 ounces / 450 grams) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (240 g) strawberry preserves
- 2 cups (330 g) fresh strawberries, washed and sliced
- 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Prepare the Puff Pastry: Lay one puff pastry sheet onto each baking sheet. Cut each sheet into 6 equal rectangles, making a total of 12. Leave about ½ inch (1.25 cm) of space between each rectangle.
- Egg Wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk until smooth. Brush the egg wash over the tops of the puff pastry rectangles, avoiding the edges to allow them to puff up during baking.
- Bake the Pastries: Bake the puff pastry rectangles for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. Set them aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Make the Cream Cheese Filling: While the pastries are cooling, prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
Assemble the Napoleons:
- Once cooled, gently separate the top layer from the bottom layer of each puff pastry.
- On the bottom half of each pastry rectangle, spread 1 tablespoon of strawberry preserves.
- Using a piping bag or a plastic zip-top bag with the corner snipped, pipe 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese filling over the preserves.
- Top with 5-6 slices of fresh strawberries.
- Place the top layer of pastry on each stack and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
- Serve: Serve the Strawberry Napoleons immediately, and enjoy!
This easy-to-make Strawberry Napoleon is a beautiful dessert that’s perfect for any gathering or special occasion, providing a delicious blend of flaky pastry, creamy filling, and sweet strawberries.
