Raspberry and Dried Pear Napoleons
Posted by: Tuddles  Wed, 2 Feb 2005, at 2:06 p.m.
 

Ingredients:
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup Muscat de Beaune de Venise, or other sweet, white dessert wine, such as white port or sauternes
2 pints fresh raspberries
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup melted bittersweet chocolate
Dried pears, recipe follows

Directions:
In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup of the sugar and the wine, and dissolve, stirring, over medium-low heat, and slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Combine the raspberries and syrup in a bowl and toss gently to combine.

In a bowl whip the heavy cream until it is nearly doubled in volume. Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons sugar and whip until it forms stiff peaks.

Spread 1 Tablespoon of chocolate on the bottom of a dessert plate, and top with 1 pear slice. Layer with 1 Tablespoon of cream, raspberries, 1 teaspoon of chocolate, and 1 pear slice, and repeat to make 6 layers in all, finishing with raspberries and chocolate on top. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, to make 4 napoleons in all.

Ingredients:
Dried pears
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 medium ripe, firm pears, stems removed

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 200F.
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small saucepan combine the sugar and water, and dissolve, stirring, over medium-low heat. Add the lemon juice and cardamom, and stir. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

With a mandolin or other slicing machine, thinly slice the pears lengthwise to 1/8-inch thickness. Dip the pear slices in the syrup and shake to remove any excess. Arrange the slices tightly in a single layer on the baking sheets.

Bake in the oven until crisp, about 2 to 3 hours, switching the baking sheets several times during the cooking process.