Strawberry Rhubarb Napoleons And Lemon Cream

Description
Lemon cream can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Filling

 * 1 pound rhubarb, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices (about 3 cups)
 * ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
 * ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
 * 1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
 * 1 pint strawberries
 * 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (about ½ pound), thawed
 * Garnish: confectioners' sugar
 * Accompaniment: lemon cream

Lemon cream

 * ½ cup well-chilled heavy cream
 * 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
 * 3 tablespoons sour cream
 * 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

Garnish

 * fresh lemon zest, removed with a vegetable peeler and cut into julienne strips

Filling

 * 1) In a heavy saucepan combine all filling ingredients except strawberries and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes, or until rhubarb is soft and falling apart.
 * 2) Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool completely.
 * 3) Hull strawberries and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices (there will be about 2 cups).
 * 4) Add strawberries to rhubarb mixture, tossing to combine well.
 * 5) Filling may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
 * 6) Bring filling to room temperature before assembling napoleons.

Pastry

 * 1) Preheat oven to 375°Ff.
 * 2) On a lightly floured surface roll pastry into a 14- by 10-inch rectangle, about ⅛-inch thick.
 * 3) Cut pastry into 4 strips, each 14 by 2½ inches.
 * 4) Working with 1 pastry strip at a time, with long side facing you, make three 4-inch-long parallelograms per strip, discarding end scraps, for a total of 12 parallelograms.
 * 5) Invert 2 baking sheets and arrange 6 parallelograms in one layer on each.
 * 6) Freeze pastry 15 minutes, or until firm.
 * 7) Remove 1 baking sheet from freezer and invert a metal cooling rack directly onto pastry to cover parallelograms completely.
 * 8) Cooling rack will weight down pastry to form a decorative pattern.
 * 9) Bake pastry with cooling rack in middle of oven until golden brown and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes.
 * 10) Carefully remove rack from pastry and transfer pastry to another rack to cool completely.
 * 11) Bake remaining pastry in same manner.
 * 12) Parallelograms may be made 4 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Assembly of the napoleons

 * 1) Arrange 6 parallelograms, design sides up, on dessert plates and top each with about ½ cup filling.
 * 2) Put remaining 6 parallelograms, design sides up, on top of filling and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
 * 3) Serve napoleons with lemon cream.

Lemon cream

 * 1) In a bowl with an electric mixer beat heavy cream with sugar until it holds soft peaks.
 * 2) Fold in sour cream and lemon zest.
 * 3) Lemon cream may be made 1 hour ahead and chilled, covered.
 * 4) Whisk cream lightly before serving.
 * 5) Serve cream garnished with zest.
 * 6) Makes about 1⅓ cups.