Recipe

Russian Napoleon Cake Recipe

Add Step-by-Step Photos	Crainny / All my dishes 1 year, 10 months ago This fantastic 15-layer cake has been our favorite family holiday cake for almost 100 years. Don't get scared away by they number of layers. It takes about 1 1/2 hours to make from the beginning to the end - and its rich flavor and great moist tender texture make it all worthwhile!... More Prep:30m Cook:90m Servings:20	Crainny
	expert european dessert

murad

Add Photos

Does this look good? Yeah! / Nope

Fans

olga

juels

Ingredients

For pastry:

==========

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream (regular or light)

2 sticks unsalted butter

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp white vinegar

All-purpose flour enough to make soft dough

For cream:

==========

1 1/2 quarts of whole milk

1 cup of milk (this is not a mistake)

1 1/2 cups white sugar

4 egg yolks

4 very full tbsp flour

Pinch of salt

1 shot of vodka, brandy, or rum

(Amaretto or Bailey's are also good)

1 lemon (zest only)

Vanilla essence or vanilla powder to taste

Pinch of nutmeg

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

Directions

Pastry:

-------

Mix eggs, soft butter and sour cream together till they blend well.

Add salt.

In a table spoon, dissolve baking soda in vinegar - you will see "bubbles". When bubbling stops, add soda+vinegar to your mixture. Stir well.

Start adding flour, cup-by-cup, make soft smooth dough. Don't knead it too much, just enough to make it smooth and "un-sticky".

Split dough into 16 pieces, form little balls.

Cover the dough with plastic, and put in the fridge to chill.

While it's chilling, prepare cream.

Custard Cream:

--------------

Pour 1 1/2 quarts of milk into thick bottom pot and bring it to boil. Don't use aluminum pots - it will burn !

While the milk is warming up, prepare the cream mix:

Separate egg yolks and stir them very well with sugar and a pinch of salt - until mix turns very light yellow.

Add flour, mix well.

Add 1 cup cold milk, mix very well. Avoid lumps.

When your milk starts to boil, reduce the heat immediately to low.

Pour the cream mixture into boiling milk very slowly, using a whisk to stir the cream.

Bring the mixture to boil again, constantly stirring it. When it starts boiling, you will see it become thicker. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, don't forget to stir at all times.

Remove from the stove, add lemon zest, vanilla, nutmeg, and vodka (rum, brandy, or liquor).

When you are able to touch the pot, add butter and mix it in as it melts. Set aside.

Now back to pastry:

-------------------

Preheat oven to 420 degrees F.

Turn off the phone, so no one can distract you for 1 hour.

a. Get 1 piece of dough from the fridge, roll it into a very thin crust on well floured surface - as thin as you can, forming a round or a square crust.

b. Roll the crust onto rolling pin, and unroll it onto UNGREASED baking sheet.

c .Pierce crust with the fork all over.

d. Bake in the oven for 2 minutes or until lightly golden. Don't over bake. It is better when it is not dark.

e. Remove the crust from the oven and put aside.

Repeat steps a-e for all the rest of the dough.

Never leave the kitchen while the crust is in the oven - check it all the time - it bakes very quickly.

Bake the last crust a little longer than others, letting it turn brown.

Put one crust on the cake dish.

Pour a ladle full of cream onto it.

Use skimmer to spread the cream evenly on the crust. Repeat for all crusts, except for the brown one.

Crush the brown crust on the board, using the rolling pin - just roll it over the crust several times - it will make great fine crumbs.

Pour the crumbs over the top layer of the cake.

Let the cake soak for 2-3 hours. Cut out the uneven edges, forming your favorite cake shape - square or round, or oval. You get to eat all of the cut-offs... mmmm...

*Hint: making round-shaped cake produces more cut-offs, which means, more for you!

Recent Gawkers

Not quite what you're looking for? See more Dessert / Cakes

Or see more just like this

Comments

artichokehearts 1 year, 10 months ago said:
Wow, this sounds amazing.

tcvillegas 1 year, 10 months ago said:
Sounds like a great "challenge" to take on. Will definitely give this a try. Thanks for posting.

maryelizlawson 1 year, 10 months ago said:
This does sounds wonderful and I WILL be giving it a try. Thanks!

annieamie 1 year, 10 months ago said:
Now this sounds like a challenging recipe. I can't wait to try this.
**Do you think that the flavor will be fine without the addition of alcohol?
Thanks for another great recipe!

olga 1 year, 7 months ago said:
Wonderful recipe! It turned out fantastic, just like I remembered it.

recipesrule 1 year, 6 months ago said:
This looks so good. My mom makes a similar cake and also calls it Napoleon Torte. Hers only has about 8 layers and she covers the whole thing with whipped cream and cuts it into a star( from the round shape). She made 20 of them for our wedding as the dessert. Hers also doesn't have alcohol in it. Will give this a try. Thanks for the post!

juels 1 year ago said:
I love this version! Never tried adding alcohol to my cream, the pastry part sounds awesome too. Next time the girls are over for the tea party, I know what I'm serving! Вкуснятина!

beldujour 11 months, 2 weeks ago said:
My husband and I have eaten Napoleons practically daily every time we've been in Odessa. I can't wait to make this for him!

momage3 9 months ago said:
I made this cake for my mother's birthday. I thought it was going to be a nightmare but I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't. It came out very good. I didn't add the alcohol, next time I will try it. Thanks for the recipe!