grrrrr....I wrote a long post and now it's gone. I'll attempt another time. :thepain:

I did that last night.
Not on here, just sending an email to my bro.
So I called him instead. Which is what anti-internet people are all for, "real" communication.

Then I had to call him back because I forgot a vital point. Then he emailed me about 30 minutes later (he won't call too late because of the 'rents). I emailed him back after breakfast and am waiting for a reply.

This was all Diz's fault for making free with cat paws on keyboard.

Which is a long-winded way to say I feel your pain.

What I had wanted to say was, Sundae, you flatter me! :blush: Muah! hihihi.....By the way, your mini carrot cakes were perfect. Since I don't have the carrot toppings to make mine cute like yours, I was gonna sprinkle coconut shreds on them. As for the strawberry napoleons, they're extremely quick and simple to make. I used the recipe on the box, Pepperidge Farm puff pastry. However, I pour the milk, heavy cream, and pudding mix into the blender, and whoosh, everything mixed. You can omit the strawberry and it would taste great.

Ali: you can easily do this for your kids and if you're up to it, you can make them with Max. :)

Here's the recipe I grabbed from Pepperidge Farm. However, the way I make them is much simplier. Cut into 3 big rectangle strips, then cut into however many small rectangle pieces you want. I place them directly onto the baking sheet. You may want to use parchment paper if you've got them. After they're baked, cut them pastry puffs into halves rather into thirds. And use whatever pudding flavor you want. I once used canned peaches rather than strawberries. But hey, y'all are bakers and cooks here, so I'm sure you know what you'd want to do. :D I just went into their site and found a whole load of recipes I'd like to try out, hehe.


P.S. I just skimmed over the recipe, sounds so complicated. I gotta go but will come back to simplier directions.

STRAWBERRY NAPOLEONS RECIPE

INGREDIENTS
• All-purpose flour
• 1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
• 1 pkg. (about 3 1/2 ounces) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped or 2 cups thawed frozen whipped topping
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tsp. milk
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen sliced strawberries

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.
2. Sprinkle the work surface with the flour. Unfold the pastry sheet onto the floured surface. Cut the pastry sheet into 3 strips along the fold marks. Place the pastry strips onto the prepared baking sheets.
3. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Remove the pastries from the baking sheets and let cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Split the pastries into 2 layers, making 6 layers in all.
4. Prepare the pudding mix according to the package directions with 1 cup milk in a large bowl. Fold in the whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes. To make icing, stir the confectioners’ sugar and 2 teaspoons milk in a small bowl.
5. Spread the icing on 2 top pastry layers. Spread 3/4 cup pudding mixture on 4 pastry layers. Top each with about 1/3 cup strawberries. Stack 1 strawberry-topped layer onto a second one to make 2 stacks. Top each stack with an iced pastry layer. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.
6. Helper: For easier slicing, refrigerate the Napoleons for a least 1 hour and use a wet serrated knife.
7. Serving Suggestion: The pastries may be drizzled with 1 square (1 ounce) semi-sweet chocolate, melted, before serving.
8. Recipe Note: Parchment paper keeps the pastry from sticking to the baking sheet and also makes for easier cleanup. If you don't have parchment paper, you can spray the baking sheet with cooking spray instead. However, cooking spray may cause the bottoms of the pastries to brown more quickly, so begin checking for doneness 5 minutes early.

I bought those carrot toppings. They were on sale :blush:

I might try to translate your recipe for the Napoleons.
It looks spectacular and if you say it's easy I kinda believe you.
'Cepting I've seen some of your amazing creations already.

Yes I intend to flatter you, but I mean what I say. Your precision and fine motor skills are out of the ordinary. I can make cakes. But I know they are ordinary. No self-flagellation, it's the truth.

I wowed the staffroom with my cheese scones today.
No pics, I've kinda given up documenting my baking.
But I was happy - I thought they were chocoholics. Turns out enough of them like the old savoury snacks after all. I had as many compliments as I did for the carrot cake (the big one).

Mrs B has also suggested paying me to make her some comestibles.
She is currently without a kitchen due to an extension (building work, in case that doesn't translate). Maybe this time I will accept the offer of £. The makey-cakey offer was never in doubt, because I just enjoy it.

I see a career opening up...
I'll be right over to help you Sundae.

They loook a bit like a strawberry version of a vanilla slice. the puff pastry looks lovely.

:thumb2: You've given the teachers enough. It's about time someone shows some appreciation.

I might do so when they've finished the brownies and stuff they have here atm. :)

Just realized I have not put up the simplied recipe or instructions for the napoleons. :p:

Well do it, damn it.:p:

Okay, this is what I did to make the napoleons.

I bought:
puff pasty sheet
one box instant pudding
1 c. milk
1 c. heavy cream
strawberries (fruits are optional)

1. Cut the sheet into however many rectangles you want. Leave the puff pastry sheet to thaw only a little bit, like 5, 10 minutes. It's easier to open and cut when it's still somewhat hard. Bake as directed on the box.

2. Put the pudding mix, millk, and heavy cream together and mix it. The blender is the easiest way to go.

3. After the puffs are cool, cut them in half. Put pudding in the middle of the two pastry sheets that you had cut.

4. Take a piece of chocolate, milk, dark, white, mint, whatever you want, and put it in a sandwich bag. Stuff it in the bottom corner and microwave it until melted. Poke a hole with a toothpick. You can squeeze to drizzle chocolate onto the pastries. Rather than chocolate drizzles, you can shift confectioner's sugar on top of the pastries to decorate.

DONE!

(Hope I made sense. :p:)

What is instant pudding in British English?

I'm guessing instant whip or angel delight?

Sorry, I meant instant pudding mix. I did a search, and I think it's available in England too. I found the following brands, such as in Jell-O or Moir's. I grabbed the pictures from twengo.co.uk when I did a search for british instant pudding mix. Hope that helps. :p: