Napoleon Cake (Russian Custard Layer Cake)
Local name: Торт Наполеон
In short: A Russian celebration cake of thin, crisp pastry layers sandwiched with vanilla custard cream, softened overnight into a sliceable treat. It takes about 2 h 25 min in total and makes 16 servings.
- Prep
- 1 h 30 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Resting
- 9 h
- Total
- 2 h 25 min
- Servings
- 16
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Calories
- 445 kcal
Napoleon is the layered cake of Russian celebrations, made from many paper-thin sheets of crisp pastry stacked with vanilla custard cream. Straight from assembly the layers are brittle, but after a night in the fridge they soak up the cream and turn tender enough to cut with a fork. It takes time rather than skill: the dough is rubbed together like pie crust, rolled thin and baked in minutes. Crumbs from the trimmings coat the sides.
Instructions
- Mix the flour and salt in a bowl and rub in the cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces. Whisk the egg with the water and vinegar, add it and bring the dough together quickly without kneading.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, flatten each into a disc, wrap and chill for 1 hour. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Roll each piece on baking paper into a very thin round, about 2 mm thick. Trim it with a 24 cm (9 1/2 inch) plate, prick all over with a fork and keep the trimmings.
- Bake each layer for 6 to 8 minutes until golden, and bake the trimmings on a tray too. Cool all the pastry flat.
- For the cream, whisk the eggs, sugar, flour and 200 ml (3/4 cup) of the cold milk until smooth. Heat the remaining milk until steaming, whisk half into the egg mixture, then pour everything back into the pan.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and bubbles for 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla, press cling film onto the surface and cool completely.
- Beat the softened butter until fluffy, then beat in the cooled custard a spoonful at a time until smooth.
- Stack the layers on a plate, spreading about 120 g (1/2 cup) of cream between each. Cover the top and sides with the remaining cream and press crushed pastry trimmings over the cake.
- Chill for at least 8 hours, or overnight, so the layers soften. Cut with a serrated knife.
Tips
- Roll the dough as thin as you can. Thick layers stay hard and make the cake difficult to cut. Chill the dough again if it softens while you work.
- Cool the custard fully before beating it into the butter. If the cream looks split, warm the bowl briefly over a pan of hot water while beating.
Questions and answers
Why does Napoleon cake need to rest overnight?
The layers are crisp and the cream is loose right after assembly. After 8 hours the pastry absorbs moisture and softens into a cake that cuts cleanly.
Can I use store-bought puff pastry for Napoleon cake?
Yes. Roll out ready-made puff pastry, cut circles, prick and bake until golden for a quicker, flakier version. Homemade layers are denser and crisper.
How long does Napoleon cake keep?
Covered in the fridge it keeps for up to 4 days. Because of the custard cream, do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
How long does it take to make Napoleon Cake (Russian Custard Layer Cake)?
About 2 h 25 min in total: 1 h 30 min of preparation and 55 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Napoleon Cake (Russian Custard Layer Cake)?
About 445 kcal per serving, with 8 g of protein, 43 g of carbohydrates and 27 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 445 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 43 g |
| Fat | 27 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 18 g |
| Sodium | 160 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
