Jul 14 2026
Restaurants›Kachka›Citrus Napoleon Recipe

Citrus Napoleon Recipe

Inspired by Kachka
Time1h 30m
Serves6

puff pastry and grapefruit diplomat cream layered cake with mandarin compote.

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Ingredients

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Puff Pastry

Grapefruit Diplomat Cream

Mandarin Compote

Method

Puff Pastry Preparation

  1. 1

    Preheat Oven

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

  2. 2

    Prepare Puff Pastry

    Roll out the puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Cut each sheet into rectangles (approximately 4x6 inches).

  3. 3

    Egg Wash

    Beat the egg in a small bowl and brush the egg wash over the pastry rectangles.

  4. 4

    Bake

    Place the pastry rectangles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and puffed. Let cool.

Grapefruit Diplomat Cream Preparation

  1. 5

    Heat Milk

    In a saucepan, heat the milk and granulated sugar over medium heat until warm but not boiling.

  2. 6

    Whisk Egg Yolks

    In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and cornstarch until combined.

  3. 7

    Combine Mixtures

    Slowly add the warm milk to the egg yolk mixture while whisking continuously to temper the eggs.

  4. 8

    Cook the Mixture

    Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened (about 5-7 minutes).

  5. 9

    Add Flavorings

    Remove from heat and stir in grapefruit juice, zest, and vanilla extract. Let cool completely.

  6. 10

    Whip Cream

    In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks.

  7. 11

    Fold Cream into Custard

    Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled grapefruit custard until combined.

Mandarin Compote Preparation

  1. 12

    Prepare Compote

    In a bowl, combine the mandarin segments, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Let it sit for 10 minutes to allow the juices to mix.

Assembly

  1. 13

    Layer Ingredients

    On a serving plate, place one puff pastry rectangle, spread a layer of grapefruit diplomat cream, and top with a layer of mandarin compote. Repeat the layers ending with a puff pastry on top.

  2. 14

    Chill and Serve

    Refrigerate the assembled Citrus Napoleon for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

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