Friday, January 6, 2012

Cake "Napoleon"



There are different opinions why this cake is called "Napoleon", but there is only one opinion I've heard about it's taste - delicious.
Even I like it, and I am not a sweet eater at all (my kids have to remind me about deserts all the time as I forget to buy them candies or make them something sweet).
This cake is one of a very few sweets I dare to make.
In France and Italy this cake is called millefeuille - 1000 layers. Mine has only eight layers.

Here is how I make it.

Ingredients for the dough:

2 eggs
200 grams butter or Earth Balance
100 grams (1/2 cup) sour cream
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt



That is how much 200 grams of butter looks like



Ingredients for cream (filling):

5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp flour
2 eggs
2 Tbsp butter
1tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tsp lemon juice


Prepare the dough.
In the ball mix flour and warmed to the room temperature butter until it forms crumble like texture. Add eggs, sour cream, butter and salt and mix it. Divide the dough into 8 even pieces, form small balls, and refrigerate for 3 hours.



Preheat oven to 375F.
Roll each ball into a round disks about 1/4 inch thick, and it bake in the oven 5-8 minutes until brown.



That dark brown is for the crumbles


Baked disks can be prepared in advance up to a week . Keep it in a dry place.


Filling:

1. In a ball mix eggs and sugar, add 2 Tbsp flour with 1/2 cup of warm milk.

2. Heat 5 cups of milk just before it wants to boil, slowly add egg mixture into the milk, stirring constantly until it thickens.

3.Take off the heat.




4. Let it cool 25-30 minutes and add 2 Tbsp butter.

5. Mix well again. Let it cool to a room temperature.

6. Place a disk on a cake stand (or just parchment paper), cover with filling.

7. Take the next disk and cover from both sides with the filling and press on the top of the first disk. Repeat this step with with all 7 disks.



8. From the last disk make crumbles and use it to decorate cake. Mix crumbles with some walnuts (optional).



9. Decorate with some fruits, and voilà!




10. Important: Let cake rest for 24 hours for filling to penetrate into the layers.


***


Yes, I know it is labor intencive. But reward at the end is so good it's all worth it!


Until next time,
Cowboy Country Vegetarian

7 comments:

  1. Oh, that looks and sounds AMAZING! Love it! I always wondered how those 1000 layer cakes were actually made! Thank you for the recipe and the step-by-step pictures are prefect!

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  2. Marina, you rock!!
    Love step by step instructions and pictures. It looks and tastes AMAZING! I should know, right?
    Merry Christmas!!!!

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  3. Thank you Ann and Lisa, and all the readers who sent me an e-mails after this post. I appreciate it. I also want to let yu know that I am working on the requested recipes. Stay tuned!

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  4. wow, look absolutely delicious and amazing!

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    1. Thank you Andreea-Elena! I am glad you like it.

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  5. This cake is really good. I love how you decorated it.
    http://leascooking.blogspot.com/

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Lea. Reminds me that I have to make another one...:)

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Your warm comments put a smile on my heart.