Recipe: Petite Napoleons

Petite Napoleons
Circa:1600's

Today I am bringing you a delicious and easy treat to share with someone special this Valentine’s Day! As some of you may know the first floor of our house filled with water while we were out of town and thus we have embarked on an unexpected home remodeling project! Since we are basically living out of a small portion of the house it forced me to be creative and create a dessert that was easy to make, didn’t require a lot of counter space but was still delicious! I knew that I wanted to continue my "I Love Paris" theme from a previous post but with a Texas twist so I present my take on Mille-Feuilles with Chantilly cream, raspberries and a spicy chocolate sauce!  This dessert is so simple that it barely required a recipe! If you can unroll dough, turn on a mixer and stir a pot you can make this sweet treat!

               
     Mille-Feuille translates into “a thousand leaves” and refers to the layers of flaky puff pastry used to make it. In America it is also known as a French Napoleon. Interestingly enough, while Mille-Feuille is traditionally French some attribute the French Napoleon as we know it to the Italians. Either way it is delicious but can be rather complicated and I was not prepared or equipped to spend hours in the kitchen this week. So instead I whipped up my own simple and bite sized version of this delicious dessert. Maybe one day I will tackle the real thing! 

                The star ingredient in this dish, in my opinion, is the delicious Chantilly cream! The invention of Chantilly whipped cream is often attributed to the great  French Chef Vatel who worked in the kitchens of the Chateau de Chantilly. In April 1671 Chef Vatel was commissioned to organize a dinner party for the Duc de Conde, owner of Chantilly, and his cousin Louis XIV. Interesting fact, Louise XIV is also known as the “Great Sun King” and the man responsible for building the gorgeous Palace of Versailles. The two-day event included lavish meals, illuminations, entertainment and hunting excursions. However, Vatel faced a dilemma!  Due to problems in the kitchen and lack of supplies Vatel felt that the party would end in failure and being unable to face everyone he committed suicide before the party even ended.  It was a tragic fate for a remarkable chef but was Vatel truly responsible for this decadent cream? Well some historians beg to differ!

Chateau de Chantilly

They believe that Chantilly cream goes back much farther and recipe books contain a special cream made with vanilla and egg whites that should be “light like snow.”  Others say that the name Chantilly cream wouldn’t be used until the 1700’s and would include sugar as we know it. A final theory on the origin of this delicious cream comes from the the Hamlet of Chantilly created by Prince de Conde’s desire for a more natural, simple peasant life in the late 18^th century. It consisted of a dairy, mill, stables, inn, and barns and cottages. However, the simple exteriors hid grand interiors where concerts and grand dinners were frequently held. One of the prince’s wealthy guests wrote about “the cream Chantilly, Chantilly!.”  While it’s origins may be a bit of a mystery, this deliciously sweet French cream is a delicious addition to our dessert!

Finally, for those that can’t imagine a Valentine’s Day without Chocolate, never fear! I have a fabulous recipe for you! Since my Valentine’s Inspiration is Paris, Texas my chocolate sauce had to have a little Texas kick to it! Thus I give you a delicious, spicy and decadent chocolate sauce. What I love is that it is not overly sweet which compliments the Chantilly cream perfectly. Enjoy!