Shirini Napoleoni (Persian Napoleon Pastry)

Ingredients

• 2 sheets Puff pastry (thawed if frozen)
• 3.333 cup Heavy whipping cream (cold)
• 1 cup Powdered sugar (plus extra for dusting)
• 1 tbsp Rosewater
• 0.5 tsp Cardamom powder
• 1 tsp Vanilla bean paste
• Dried rose petals (for garnish)
• Crushed pistachios (optional garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. 2

   Slice the puff pastry sheets into equal-sized squares. According to the transcript, you can divide each sheet into three strips and then each strip into three squares.

3. 3

   Place the squares on a baking sheet and poke many holes in each square with a fork to allow steam to escape and prevent uneven rising.

4. 4

   Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown.

5. 5

   Remove from the oven and let them cool down. Once cooled, use a knife to gently scrape the very top golden layer (the crumbs) off of each square. Reserve these crumbs for decoration.

6. 6

   Slice the squares open horizontally to create thinner layers. Lay them facing up on the baking sheet and bake again for 3 minutes to crisp up the insides.

7. 7

   Remove from the oven and let the pastry layers cool down completely before assembly.

8. 8

   In a large bowl, combine the cold heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, rosewater, cardamom powder, and vanilla bean paste.

9. 9

   Beat the mixture with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat.

10. 10

    To assemble, layer 3 pastry squares for each dessert, spreading a generous layer of the prepared whipped cream between each layer.

11. 11

    Spread a thin layer of cream on the outside edges of the assembled pastry and press the reserved pastry crumbs onto all sides so they stick.

12. 12

    Place the pastries in the fridge to rest for at least 1 hour to set.

13. 13

    Before serving, dust the tops with powdered sugar and garnish with dried rose petals and crushed pistachios if desired.

Notes

The secret to this dessert is the 'shattering' texture of the pastry combined with the aromatic cream. Scraping the top layer provides the traditional crumb coating used in Persian bakeries. Ensure the cream is very cold before whipping for the best volume.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• pastry
• Persian
• baking
• vegetarian
• mille-feuille