Name: Napoleon Cake
Prep time: 70 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 130 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Ukrainian
Ingredients: 580 g Plain flour; 450 g Unsalted butter; 150 ml Water; 1 tbsp White wine vinegar; 1 tsp Fine sea salt; 1000 ml Whole milk; 5 large Eggs; 250 g Caster sugar; 2 tsp Vanilla extract

About this dish

Napoleon cake is the Ukrainian and Russian cousin of the French mille-feuille, and tradition links its layered shape to the celebrations of the 1912 centenary of the victory over Napoleon, when the cake was said to be cut in the shape of his triangular hat. Home cooks make the pastry with butter worked into flour, a quick shortcut that gives crisp, many-layered sheets without hours of folding. It is assembled the day before, so the custard softens the layers into a cake that is neither crisp nor soggy.

Vegetarian
Not vegan because of Unsalted butter, Whole milk, Eggs
Contains gluten because of Plain flour
Contains dairy because of Unsalted butter, Whole milk

Ingredients

12servings

580gPlain flour
450gUnsalted butter
150mlWater
1tbspWhite wine vinegar
1tspFine sea salt
1000mlWhole milk
5largeEggs
250gCaster sugar
2tspVanilla extract

Instructions

Rub 250 g of cold butter into 500 g of the flour with the salt, then mix in the water and vinegar to form a firm dough. Divide into 8 balls, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
25 min
Tip: Keep the butter cold so it stays in flakes; the layers puff apart in the oven. The vinegar relaxes the gluten so the dough rolls thin.
Roll each ball into a very thin 24 cm round, prick all over with a fork and bake one at a time at 200°C for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden. Trim to neat rounds and crush the trimmings into crumbs.
60 min
Tip: Prick well or the sheets will balloon. Bake until fully golden, since pale layers turn doughy when soaked with cream.
Whisk the eggs with the sugar and the remaining 80 g flour, pour in the hot milk in a thin stream, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes until thick. Cool, covered, then beat in the vanilla.
30 min
Tip: Stir constantly and reach the corners of the pan so the custard does not scorch. Press cling film onto the surface to stop a skin forming.
Beat the remaining softened butter until pale, then beat in the cooled custard a spoonful at a time. Stack the layers with a generous layer of cream between each, then coat the top and sides and press the crumbs on.
20 min
Tip: Both butter and custard must be at room temperature, or the cream curdles. Add the custard slowly for a smooth, fluffy cream.
Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight, before slicing with a sharp, serrated knife.
480 min
Tip: The rest turns hard layers into a soft, melting cake. Use a sawing motion to cut without crushing the top.