Pineapple Dessert Bliss: A Photo Assemblage

Earlier this month, Mr. Schalk and I spent the weekend in Michigan with the fam. We ate lots of good food and even enjoyed a special dessert for our last summer evening up north. When I say special I really mean sit down and transport yourself to Hawaii with soft warm breezes, light music and the most delectable tropical dessert you've ever experienced.

Did you know I love dessert? As in, I could probably live on desserts and veggies for the rest of my life. Also, bacon, must have bacon. But, that's a post all in its own and for another day.

Where was I? Ah, yes, the anticipated lovely dessert post. My mother-in-law is a wonderful cook and often draws her recipes from Bon Appetit. This particular treat comes from a September 1997 issue.


You can find the full recipe courtesy of epicurious. Three cheers for Epicurious!
Pineapple-Cocunut Napoleons with Mascarpone Cream and Pineapple Syrup.

Oh my goodness! Isn't that name delightful? The cookies, or tuiles if you want to be all fancy pants, were made a day ahead of time. The syrup and cream were made earlier in the day.

Now is the part of the post when I must confess.

I did not actually make these.

I plan make these someday for a special event. They are saved in my recipe files. I am the queen of good intentions. However, for this inaugural visit to pineapple bliss land Rosemary, Mr. Schalk's mom, made the dessert. I just assembled. And took the following photos along with Mr. Schalk who helped. He also helped take the dessert outside to the family and make coffee. Coffee is a perfect accompaniment to this sweetness.

The main characters.

Mascarpone cream is banned in some countries because of the evil it does to the hips of those who consume it. Well...it should be. But even that would not have stopped me from indulging. I'm a rule follower by nature, but this mascarpone cream is divine and worthy of breaking the rules. The hypothetical non-existent rules.

So, here's how you assemble the beautiful little tropical napoleons.

Coconut cookie first.

Fresh pineapple ring next. Doesn't Rosemary cut lovely pineapple rings? Sweet Jesse I love pineapple!


Now cover up the ring with a LARGE mound of mascarpone cream. Be still my sugar lovin' heart, there's more! Lots more!


Another cookie on top. Then another dallop...or mound...of cream. Just do it, you know you want to. I won't tell.

Let's look at that up close.

Oh yes!

Put another pineapple ring on top and you're almost there!

A little more cream on top. Looks heavenly! But wait. It's missing something. Ahhhh yes....


Cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and some other interesting ingredients collide into a caramel-y complex syrup sweetness. Don't worry about the ingredients not feeling like they "fit" with each other. They do. Take my word for it. I've tasted heaven. It's called Pineapple-coconut blah blah BLISS!

Hello beautiful!

Oh my goodness. I would give all the bacon in my fridge for this dessert to be in front of me right now. Even if it is banned in Liechtenstein.

Well, it could be.


Enjoy my friends! As you can tell by my smile, I am about to enjoy heaven on earth. Too bad it was 3 weeks ago. I must find a special occasion to make these again...for the first time.