The Sunday Stack Russian Napoleon Cake
This rich and tender Russian Napoleon cake is perfected in a pressure cooker to deliver flaky pastry layers and creamy custard in a fraction of traditional baking time. A decadent dessert that’s both impressive and achievable, with a balanced vanilla and buttery flavor, chilled to set beautifully.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour the base for your tender, flaky layers
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter essential for that perfect crumble
- ½ cup cold water keeps the dough cool and easy to work
- ¼ teaspoon salt brings balance to the pastry
- 4 cups milk for that rich, creamy custard heart
- 1 cup granulated sugar sweeten that custard just right
- 6 large egg yolks thickens the custard up real smooth
- ½ cup all-purpose flour the perfect custard thickener
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch the perfect custard thickener
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract to finish the custard with that luscious, dreamy taste
- 1 cup heavy cream to finish the custard with that luscious, dreamy taste
Instructions
Instructions
- Start in a big bowl by mixing your flour and salt nice and even.
- Cut in the cold butter until your dough looks kinda like coarse crumbs, don’t overwork it.
- Add in the cold water, mix just till the dough comes together, then wrap it up and chill those 8 pieces for 30 minutes.
- Roll each piece thin into a circle, bake at 400°F 'til golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Watch that they don’t get too dark.
- While you got your layers baking, heat milk until it’s just about boiling but not boiling over.
- Whisk those egg yolks, sugar, flour, and cornstarch in a bowl. Then slowly pour the hot milk in while you keep whiskin' to avoid lumps.
- Put that custard mix back on medium heat and stir steady until thick enough to coat a spoon. Take it off the heat and stir in vanilla extract for that extra good taste.
- Let your custard cool a bit before folding in whipped heavy cream gently. This makes it smooth and fluffy for layering in the cake.
- Now build: stack those baked pastry circles with rich custard between, finishing with a custard layer on top.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before you dig in — the chill keeps it all set and ready for those tender layers to shine.
- Use pre-made puff pastry if you’re kinda pressed for time but still want the layered feel.
- Swap vanilla extract with almond extract if you wanna switch up the flavor profile a bit.
- Chop some toasted nuts to sprinkle between layers for a bit of crunch without fuss.
Notes
Cover the cake with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days to preserve that tender pull and custard creaminess. Store individual slices in airtight containers for convenience. To freeze, wrap tightly in foil and plastic wrap, then thaw overnight in the fridge. Avoid leaving cake out on the counter too long to maintain freshness.