Bidwell Street Bistro Lemon Curd Napoleon

Source: Bidwell Street Bistro, Sacramento, California

Lemon Curd:
5 whole eggs
4 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
6 ounces sweet butter
Zest of 3 lemons
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Puff Pastry:
1 (12 x 18-inch) sheet of puff pastry dough
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon milk

Whipped Cream:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
confectioners' sugar to taste
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

To prepare the curd, mix all ingredients together in a stainless steel bowl. Bring a pot of water to a simmer and place mixing bowl on top. Cook, stirring, until butter is melted, then stir constantly until mixture is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Place mixing bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice to chill curd.

Put together pastry by cutting 12 circles of dough with a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter. Place pastry on parchment paper. Mix together one teaspoon milk and one egg yolk. Brush circles with mixture. Bake circles at 400 degrees F until golden brown.

Prepare whipped cream by combining ingredients in a large bowl. Beat until stiff peaks form.

To assemble, cut pastry circles in half along their width (to produce two thinner rounds). Put a dollop of whipped cream on the center of the plate. Place one piece of pastry on the whipped cream. Top with a tablespoon of lemon curd and a tablespoon of whipped cream. Place a few berries on top and repeat the step. Cover with a third pastry round. Garnish the plate with a few more berries and serve.