Russian · dessert
Napoleon Cake (Наполеон)
Napoleon Cake (Наполеон) reads richness 6.7, sweetness 6.1 and sourness 4.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Russian dessert, about 10 hr 50 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 3.8 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 6.3 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 4.6 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 0.0 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 6.7 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 3.2 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Richness 6.7 · Sweetness 6.1 · Sourness 4.6 · Salinity 3.6 · Floral 3.2 · Umami 2.6 · Fruity 0.8
What's in it (12)
- 3 cups plain flour
- 1 cup cold butter
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup butter for cream
Time & effort: about 10 hr 50 min (1 hr active) · effort: medium
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 370.3 kcal, 17.8 g protein, 13.2 g fat, 45.2 g carbs
Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (4 steps)
- Make rough puff pastry by crumbling butter into flour, binding with egg, water, and vinegar, chilling, and rolling out into many thin sheets that are baked individually until crisp.
- Prepare a thick vanilla custard cream.
- Layer the cooled pastry sheets with generous amounts of cream, stacking 8-10 layers high.
- Press down gently, chill overnight, then crumble a pastry sheet over the top.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Túrógombóc (Cottage Cheese Dumplings) — Hungarian
- Pastelitos Criollos — Argentine
- Faworki — Polish
- Chess Pie — Southern
- Cuban Flan — Cuban
Keep reading: what richness, sweetness, sourness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.