Napoleon War 4
Fernanda Rabbe
After many false starts with complicated rough puff pastries, German buttercreams, and more over the years, my mother in-law gently reminded me that I already have a recipe for the very best Russian napoleon recipe on earth, one that was passed down from the grandmother of a longtime family friend. She contributed it to a recipe box my sister organized for my bridal shower eons ago. The layers are formed with a simple dough, enriched with sour cream and egg, then rolled thin and baked into lightly flaky wafers. Filled with my favorite simple vanilla-flecked (and cognac-fragrant, if you wish) pastry cream, it comes together over the next day, as an icebox cake would, into a dream of a cake.
Make wafer layers: Heat oven to 350F. Whisk melted butter and sour cream together in a large bowl. If the butter was still warm from melting, this should cool it. Whisk in egg, salt, and sugar until smooth. Add flour and combine with a spoon until a crumbly, loose mass forms. Transfer dough to your counter and knead a few times, just until smooth. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. [The total dough weighs about 630 grams; each quarter will weigh about 157 grams.]
Make the filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, starch, and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until smooth and no pockets of sugar-starch remain before adding the next. Whisk in vanilla bean paste, if using, and then, very gradually, whisking the whole time, pour in milk. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking the whole time. As the custard begins to bubble, it will thicken. Simmer for one minute, whisking. Remove from heat and stir in the butter until it is fully melted, then the rum (if using) and vanilla extract. If you want your custard extra silky-smooth, pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve before continuing, but I never do.
Transfer the napoleon to the fridge to rest overnight. The layers will absorb some custard and it will slice cleanly once they do. We find it takes 24 to 36 hours for the layers to soften to the ideal point.
Do you think I can sub some of the butter in the filling for melted dark chocolate? Or should I just keep the same amount of butter and just add some chocolate? Or what about making the wafers chocolate?
Just assembled my first Russian Napoleon all thanks to you, Deb! Plan to serve it New Years Eve. Decided on a whim after seeing your post to make it. Even with the distraction of my two year old, the steps were easy and everything came together perfectly. I hope this is sign of good future bakes to come in 2022.
This was my Romanian grandmother celebratory cake, it is divine. She used to add cocoa to the last portion of custard reserved for the top layer, and cut a cookie sheet sized cake it into diamond slices.
I subscribe to very little on the internet. However the Ribs recipe got me right in the stomach, I must make it, a friend and I order similar every time we find iron a menu
Also I like your site set up, so very easy to use, one cluck flows right to the next.
Thank you, I am sure it will continue to be a pleasure to meet again.
Etta Lange
New subscriber
Hello Maru, low-fat sour cream would be a problem. It is sour cream with water added and then a bunch of thickeners and stabilizers to compensate. In baking it de-emulsifies and does strange things to pastry.
Hi Deb! I tried this out today and oh my goodness, it is SUPER delicious. The filling tastes exactly like the cream puff custard my grandma used to make. *insert happy tears emoji* The napoleon is in the fridge now and I am seriously hoping we can wait 24 hours! Thank you, thank you, thank you for your wonderful recipes.
This was not too difficult, looked like the picture, and tasted great! It took me a few wafers to get the hang of rolling them out: I had good success using a silicone baking mat and pre-shaping the dough rough rectangle shapes before rolling. Thanks!
Hi All, I made this recipe and loved it. No, the biscuits do not taste like cardboard. They taste like a mildly sweet biscuit, whose purpose is to be soaked with delicious sweet custard. One must wait the recommended 24-36 hour period before truly enjoying this dessert. I think it kept getting better and better beyond even the 24 hour mark, so patience!
The custard is so yummy. Though, as someone who enjoys some acidic bite in their desserts I layered in some apple butter which turned out tasty. So, I too recommend some kind of fruity, bright addition. Such as a compote, fruit butter, or fresh fruit accompaniment.
I would love to make this for an upcoming easter brunch but for the first time in 2+ years I feel like 10 portions may not be big enough! I see you say that you halved the original recipe. If I double it back to the original size, do I make twice as many layers or make each layer bigger? Otherwise I assume I follow everything else the same way? Thanks! I always adore your recipes and have used it nearly exclusively for 15+ years!
Thank you very much for this (and all your other) incredible recipes, and of course congratulations on your new book which is on its way to me in Israel:)
Not related to this recipe specifically; I was wondering whether you have come across any Russian cookbooks you can recommend (besides the excellent Kachka). Many thanks in advance.
My daughter chose this as her first ever no chocolate birthday cake. I used amaretto in the custard and it was by far the best, best custard ever, even though I forgot the butter. I rolled the wafers in two pieces (not four), then divided each in four instead of 2. It worked great.
This is absolutely fantastic and a breeze to make. Thanks, Deb!
Dear Deb,
Generally when I made Napoleon in the past I have used just butter and flour similar to pie dough in order to achieve flakiness. I would like to try this recipe but would like to know what the addition of sour cream does? Does it soften the dough but make it less flaky?
Anna