The Altitude Adjustment Section
This is a very exotic dessert which — with the help of some store-bought items like puff pastry and dulce de leche — can be whipped up in a short time and will be very impressive. It's basically a Napoleon with fantastic and different fillings between the layers. I recommend serving it with rum whipped cream. You can even make the parts ahead of time and assemble right before serving. Or if you really want to fuss, make small individual stacks to order.
Ingredients
1 large, ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
All-purpose flour for dusting counter and rolling pin
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package instructions
1 1/2 cups dulce de leche home made or store bought
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Procedure
Place pineapple in food processor and pulse until it becomes a thick puree. Transfer pineapple to large pot. Whisk cornstarch and water in small bowl and stir into pineapple. Stir in sugar and salt and bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until golden and jam-like, 45 to 60 minutes. Off heat, stir in butter. Cool completely, 30 to 45 minutes.
Lightly dust clean, dry counter and rolling pin with flour. Roll one thawed sheet of puff pastry to a 20- by 14-inch rectangle. Cut in half crosswise and transfer to prepared baking sheets. Prick pastry all over with fork and bake until golden, alternating sheets halfway through baking, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to cooling racks. Once sheets are cool, transfer pastry sheets directly to cooling racks, roll out second sheet of thawed puff pastry, and repeat baking procedure. Cool pastry completely, about 20 minutes.
Transfer one baked and cooled puff pastry sheet to large platter or inverted baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread half of pineapple jam over puff pastry sheet. Top with second puff pastry sheet. Spread 3/4 cup dulce de leche over pastry. Repeat with remaining puff pastry sheets, pineapple jam, and dulce de leche. Dust confectioner’s sugar over top. Cut into pieces with sharp knife and serve with whipped cream.
