Napoleon Cake with Custard and Condensed Milk

Step-by-step recipe

1. Napoleon cake combines all the qualities that make it so popular. It is incredibly delicious and tender. It is easy to make, although it does need your hands-on attention. If you like, you can make it with different creams and jams and decorate it to your taste. And most importantly, if you're expecting guests, this dessert never fails to delight.
   
2. I described in great detail how to make puff pastry yourself in a separate recipe. At first glance it seems difficult. But by and large it isn't hard to make – just repeatedly folding and rolling out the dough with a layer of butter in between. This creates numerous layers. During baking the butter soaks into the dough and the gaps fill with steam, which makes the pastry puff up. It's worth making the puff pastry the day before. Then a portion of it is rolled out to the size of the pan and baked at 220-240°C for about 15 mins.
   
3. Depending on the size and height of the finished cake, you can use any number of layers. My daughter and I decided to make a Napoleon cake that wasn't very tall – about 5 cm – but fairly large in area. The idea was to eventually cut it into individual pastries for serving. We used 4 baked layers about 32 cm in diameter. We baked the layers in a pizza pan. The dough should just barely begin to brown. By the way, if you like, you can flip the layer in the pan at the very end so the other side browns a little too.
   
4. The layers must cool completely. They are a little hard – that's normal. It's precisely the cream that makes them soft and tender. As a rule, the layers have uneven edges. And there's no need to strive for a perfect circle or rectangle. We stack all the puff pastry layers. Then, using a sharp knife, we trim the edge of the whole stack, giving all the layers the desired shape at once. And the trimmings, after a little preparation, are used to sprinkle the sides and top of the cake.
   
5. Trimming the edges of the layers exposes the flaky structure of the dough, opening up gaps along the sides. These are spread with cream, which helps the dough soak and improves its texture. We dry and toast the remaining trimmings in a hot dry frying pan. Once they've cooled, we rub the trimmings between our hands into coarse crumbs – slightly darker than the layers. They are perfect for sprinkling on top of the cake and cling to the cream beautifully.
   
6. While the layers bake and cool, we make the custard – it's our choice. But if you prefer, spread your Napoleon cake with buttercream. Usually, or rather always, we make more custard than needed. For this many layers we use half a liter of fresh milk, 6 egg yolks and cornstarch. We don't add sugar to the cream. I've written in detail about how to make custard earlier in my recipe. Be sure to press the cooled custard through a sieve or colander to get rid of lumps. Mix the cooled unsweetened custard with the condensed milk. Then stir thoroughly.
   
7. You can add lemon zest, vanilla and a little fragrant alcohol – liqueur or brandy – to the cream. The custard shouldn't be runny, but it shouldn't be too thick either. It should be like very thick honey – barely dripping off the spoon. The cream and the layers should be at room temperature before assembling.
   
8. All that's left is to spread the layers with cream and give them time to soak. Place one layer on a plate – you can put baking paper under it; it comes away easily from the moist dough later, and the layer won't stick to the plate. Generously spread the layer with the prepared cream, trying to make the cream layer quite thick. While the Napoleon cake soaks, some of the cream will be absorbed by the dry pastry. Place the second layer on the cream and press it lightly with your palms. Spread and stack all the layers of the cake this way.
   
9. Generously spread the top layer. Also generously coat the sides of the cake – there are open gaps in the puff pastry there, which hold the cream perfectly, and it seeps inside the layers. Use a spatula to spread the cream evenly over the entire surface, trying to make it smooth. The top layer of cream can be made a little thicker.
   
10. Then sprinkle the top and sides especially thoroughly with the prepared toasted puff pastry crumbs. If needed, you can very lightly and gently press the crumbs into the cream. But don't use force – the cream is soft and dents easily. All that's left is to put the Napoleon cake in the fridge. It's best if you have a full day for soaking. In that time the puff pastry will soak up the cream beautifully and become soft and tender. Don't decorate the cake before chilling and soaking – within a day any berries will wilt.
    
11. Right before serving, decorate the top of the cake with fresh berries – raspberries, strawberries, wild strawberries, currants and so on. Here you have complete freedom and room for imagination. Many people like to decorate the top with cream flowers and candied fruit – that's fine, although I prefer berries and a few sprigs of fresh green mint.
    
12. It's best to serve the dessert on the same plate it was chilled and soaked on. With a very sharp knife held vertically, cut the cake into portions of any size. Try to make sure every piece has berries – I love it when there are plenty of them and they're sweet.
    
13. The cake keeps well in the fridge for several days. That is, of course, if you don't eat it quickly. Don't leave it at room temperature for long – let it stay cold. To keep the pastry from drying out, it's best to cover the cake with a napkin while storing. It's delicious on its own and makes excellent company for tea or coffee with milk.