CHOCOLATE MINT NAPOLEON

      Title: CHOCOLATE MINT NAPOLEON
  Categories: Chocolate, Mint
       Yield: 4 Servings
  
            Mint Sauce:
       6 tb Green Creme De Menthe
       2 tb Sugar
     1/2    Vanilla Bean -- split
            Lengthwise
            Mousse:
       2 lg Egg Yolks
     1/4 c  Sugar
     3/4 c  Whipping Cream -- chilled
       6 oz Bittersweet Chocolate --
            Finely chopped
     1/4 c  Clear Creme Do Cacao
     1/4 c  Unsalted Butter -- at room
            Temperature
            Chocolate Barke:
       2 oz Clear Hard Peppermint
            Candies
      12 oz Bittersweet Chocolate --
            Finely chopped
  
   For sauce:  Combine creme de menthe and sugar in small saucepan.
   Scrap in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Stir over medium heat
   until sugar dissolves. For Mousse: Whisk yolk and 1/4 cup sugar in
   small bowl to blend. Bring 1/4 cup cream to simmer in heavy small
   saucepan. Gradually whisk hot creme into egg mixture. Return mixture
   to same saucepan. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until custard
   thickens, about 1 minute (DO NOT BOIL). Reduce heat to low. Add
   chocolate, creme do cacao and butter and stir until smooth.
   
   Pour into large bowl.  Chill until cool, stirring occasionally, about
   15 minutes.  Beat 1/2 cup cream in small bowl to stiff peaks. Fold
   cream into chocolate mixture. Cover and chill. For Chocolate Bark:
   Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment.  Finely grind mints in
   food processor. Place half of chocolate in top of double boiler set
   over simmering water. Stir until candy thermometer registers 115
   degrees. Pour onto 1 prepared sheet. Using spatual, spread chcolate
   to 1/16-inch thickness over parchment. Spinkle half of ground candies
   over half of chocolate. Fold parchment in half to seal candies in
   chocolate. Repeat with remaining chocolate and candies. Cover and
   chill 1 to 24 hours. Peel parchment off chocolate bark. Break or cut
   each sheet of bark into 6 irregular pieces, reserving any small
   pieces for garnish.  Place 1 bark piece on plate. Spread scant 1/3
   cup mousse over bark.  Place another bark piece atop mousse.  Spread
   scant 1/3 cup mousse over.  Top with another bark piece.
   
   Place dollop of mousse atop chocolate and top with any smaller bark
   pieces, standing pieces upright.  Repeat with remaining bark and
   mousse. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill. ) Garnish with
   fresh mint leaves. Serve napoleons with mint sauce. My note: The
   picture of this recipe shows the napoleons sitting atop the mint
   sauce which has been carefully spooned in swirls on to the plate.
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