Napoleon Cake (Russian Napolyeon Tort)
This Russian Napoleon cake recipe is a national dessert. It's made with up to 16 layers of crispy pastry filled with a custard cream and is just a little different in every household. This recipe yields a 10 layer cake to save a little time and avoid the potential pitfalls of a taller confection. This is not something you can make and serve in one day. The pastry layers and custard need time to cool before you assemble and put them in the fridge, a process which already takes a long time. My advice is to make those 2 components the day before, then let cool overnight and assemble in the morning. Then the cake can sit in the fridge all day before serving for a party/dinner. It's a bit time-consuming to make, but the rewards of a soul-satisfying dessert are so worth it.
Pastry Layers:
2 oz (4 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 large egg whites, room temperature, stiffly beaten
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 Tbsp. vodka
1 pinch sea salt
2½ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
Custard Filling:
5 cups whole milk
10 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 large egg white, room temperature
2½ cups sugar
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
8 oz (16 Tbsp.) unsalted butter
Note: while there are mulTiple steps to this recipe, this Napoleon cake is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and baking.
Make the Pastry Layers:
In a large bowl, beat together 2 oz butter and 1 Tbsp. sugar together until creamy. Fold in 2 stiffly beaten egg whites, sour cream, vodka, and salt. Gently fold in the flour, a spoonful at a time, until the dough is soft and pliable. You might not need all of it.
Make the Napoleon Layer Cake:
Wrap in plastic and chill for 1-2 hours to make it easier to roll out.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5). Butter a baking sheet pan and dust with flour.
Divide the pastry dough into 10 pieces. Roll out each portion of dough directly on the prepared baking sheet into a very thin 8" circle.
Bake each circle of pastry until golden brown, about 6-10 minutes. If dough blisters as it cooks, pierce them with a fork.
As each layer is cooked, remove from the sheet pan and set aside to cool on a wire rack. Repeat until all dough pieces have been baked.
Make the Custard Filling:
Pour the milk into a large saucepan and heat, but do not boil.
In a large bowl, beat together the egg yolks, 1 egg white, and 2½ cups sugar until creamy.
Add 6 Tbsp. flour and mix well.
Pour this mixture into the warm (but not scalding hot) saucepan of milk, stirring initially with a whisk until smooth and then with a wooden spoon, constantly over low heat until thick and creamy.
Add the vanilla and 8 oz butter and stir until smooth.
Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Stir frequently as the mixture cools.
Assemble the Torte:
Place one layer of the cooked dough in the bottom of an 8" springform pan and cover evenly with a layer of cooled custard filling.
Continue to build up the cake in this way, layering the custard on top of the pastry, finishing with the 9th pastry layer.
Crumble the 10th and final pastry, layer over the top of the torte. Refrigerate for 5-6 hours.
When ready to serve, run a butter knife around the edges of the cake, remove the springform ring, and, using a cake lifter or two spatulas, and carefully transfer to a serving platter.
Use an electric knife to get nice, clean cuts and serve.
Makes 9 servings.
Make-Ahead:
- If you prefer the crispy version, you can bake the layers and make the pastry cream the night before and assemble within 3 hours of eating for best results.
- If you prefer the soft and tender version, you can make the fully assembled cake as much as 48 hours in advance. Just keep the cake covered so it doesn't dry out and absorb the fridge odours.