Chocolate Strawberry Napoleons are delicious layered desserts, with strawberries, creamy chocolate filling, puff pastry, and a chocolate drizzle.
A couple of years ago, my husband and I were having our sons and their girlfriends over for dinner. I was a bit stumped by what to serve for dessert, because I didn’t want to prepare the same old desserts I usually make. I ended up making Chocolate and Strawberry Napoleons!
This dessert was created, because I knew I wanted to try something different. My DEEP CONTEMPLATION of WHAT that could be lasted about 4 minutes. I decided to make something using puff pastry, and we ended up with… Chocolate and Strawberry Napoleons!
Several changes were made to a recipe I found on the box, tried to make it look “fancy pants”…and voila! A beautiful, classy looking dessert was made, that we all enjoyed! The recipe actually looks harder to make than it really is, and with only 7 or 8 ingredients, it’s not too expensive, either! Here’s how to make this delicious dessert!
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Prepare Strawberries
In a small bowl, mix the sliced strawberries with granulated sugar and water. Stir until the sugar dissolves and ingredients are fully combined.
Set the strawberries aside, and let them sit for about 30 minutes, then drain off the juice. This process is called “macerating” the berries, and helps to sweeten them.
Make The Chocolate Filling
In a large mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream, confectioner’s sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla on high speed until soft peaks form. This “chocolate mousse” type mixture will become the filling for the chocolate strawberry napoleons! Cover and place in refrigerator, until ready to use.
Prepare The Puff Pastry For Chocolate Strawberry Napoleons
Take the thawed pastry sheet and gently unfold it onto a lightly floured work surface. Cut the pastry (along the fold marks) into 3 strips. Now cut each of the strips into 4 rectangles.
NOTE: You will notice (in the photo below) that I FORGOT to cut the three strips of puff pastry into 4 rectangles each until AFTER I baked them. TRUST ME – they are much easier to cut BEFORE you bake them and they get all nice and crispy!
Bake The Puff Pastry
Put the 12 pastry rectangles onto 2 baking sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, or until the pastries turn golden brown. Remove pastries from oven and place on wire racks. Let these cool for about 10 minutes.
Once cooled, take a sharp knife and carefully split each pastry into 2 layers (horizontally, of course!). You should now have 24 pastry rectangles (you will use 3 for each serving). **See NOTE above, regarding photo below.
Serving Chocolate Strawberry Napoleons
Place a bottom pastry layer onto each individual serving plate (8 total). Divide HALF of the chocolate filling between all 8 portions. Spoon chocolate filling, to cover (and kind of spill over sides).
Divide and spoon HALF of the strawberries over the chocolate filling on each portion. Top each dessert with another pastry layer. Repeat process with an additional layer of chocolate and strawberries for each dessert. Top each dessert off with another pastry rectangle (use an original “top” piece).
Dust the pastry and plate with sifted powdered sugar. Decoratively drizzle each portion with chocolate syrup (or melted and slightly cooled semi-sweet chocolate chips) and serve!
Fresh strawberries, plus creamy chocolate filling, in between layers of flaky puff pastry, and drizzled with chocolate is so good. Yummm…what’s NOT to like?
We REALLY enjoyed these chocolate strawberry napoleons for dessert! They are at their very best when served on the same day you made them!
Sure hope you will give it a try. This easy to make dessert will be a treat for your guest’s eyes AND taste buds! Have a GREAT day!
Looking For More DESSERT Recipes?
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Recipe Adapted From: The back of the box of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets (☺)
↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
- 1 sheet Puff Pastry (1/2 of a 17.3 oz. box) , thawed
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (very cold)
- 3 Tablespoons confectioner's (powdered) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups fresh , sliced strawberries (do not use frozen for this recipe)
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon water
- *Optional: Confectioner's Sugar and Chocolate Syrup (or melted and slightly cooled chocolate chips) for garnish (you know...to make it purdy!!!)
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Prepare strawberries: In a small bowl, mix the sliced strawberries with the granulated sugar and the water. Stir until combined. Set aside and let them sit quietly for approx. 30 minutes, then drain off the juice. This process is called "mascerating" the berries. Set asdide , until ready to use.
Prepare Chocolate Filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream, confectioner's sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla on high speed until soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate, until ready to use.
Take the thawed pastry sheet and gently unfold it onto a lightly floured work surface. Cut the pastry (along the fold marks) into 3 strips. Now cut each of the strips into 4 rectangles. Put the 12 pastry rectangles onto 2 baking sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, or until the pastries turn golden brown. Remove pastries from oven and place on wire racks. Let these cool for about 10 minutes.
Once cooled, take a sharp knife and carefully split each pastry into 2 layers (horizontally, of course!). You should now have 24 pastry rectangles (you will use 3 for each serving).
Place a bottom pastry layer onto each individual serving plate (8 total). Divide HALF of the chocolate filling between all 8 portions. Spoon chocolate filling, to cover (and kind of spill over sides).
Divide and spoon HALF of the strawberries over the chocolate filling on each portion. Top each dessert with another pastry layer. Repeat process with an additional layer of chocolate and strawberries for each dessert. Top each dessert off with another pastry rectangle (use an original "top" piece).
- Dust pastry and plate with sifted powdered sugar. Decoratively drizzle with chocolate syrup (or melted and slightly cooled semi-sweet chocolate chips-that's what I did) and serve! ENJOY!
Caloric calculation does not include optional chocolate and powdered sugar used to garnish finished dish.
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!