Whip Up a Crispy, Crunchy Berry Napolean in No Time

They say necessity is the mother of invention.  I say it's impatience.  Well, that's the reason I invented one of my very favorite berry desserts.  Here's the scene:  a bowl of fresh Oregon strawberries, a pint of whipping cream and two appetites.  Too impatient to mix and bake fresh shortcake, I turned to what was on hand.  Leftover flour tortilla dough.

Enter my Caphalon saute pan, a bit of butter and a fistful of cinnamon-sugar and in mere minutes, I had a super crispy, crunchy confection that was far more than a stand-in for shortcake.  The little cinnamon crispies have become a favorite  building block for many a dessert.  (Think ice cream here.)

Now I turn to won ton wrappers -- generally hanging out in your grocery with the tofu -- for the dough.  They are just the perfect shape and size and store well for future use.

This dessert is just the thing to serve at summer barbecues.  It is very easy (make the cinnamon crispies ahead of time).  Then simply turn your guests lose with a bowl of berries, a stack of crispies and whipping cream. Honestly, the cans are the most fun.  See the result below from a recent dinner party.

I advise that you immediately get to the market and buy what you need to make this. Here is the video recipe: Cinnamon Crisp Berry Napolean.

This dish is far better with your local berries. Watch this video for tips on selecting and storing berries: Picking the Perfect Strawberry.