Cake "Napoleon" - a famous dessert, which, however, almost all the pastry cook in their own way. Some people prefer the puff pastry Puff pastry: lacy splendor Someone sandy puff, someone like "Napoleon" with cream, but someone with custard or oil. Moreover, almost all make this cake is square or round, although initially "Napoleon" necessarily peksya triangular.

Story

Cake "Napoleon" - a dish with history. Perhaps no one other dessert is not related so much myth and no other dessert has so many variations. So, there are several theories about the origin of the famous dessert.

According to one version, the cake was invented in Naples, but the name "Napoleon" - it's just distorted "Napoli". According to another - the cake was invented in France, where an enterprising pastry cut into triangular pieces of traditional French cake "Royal biscuit" and sandwiched them custard, cream and jam. Some suggest that the layer cake with vanilla cream was loved by Emperor Napoleon I, although historians say that he was completely indifferent to sweets.

The most popular version is that the dessert was invented in Russia in 1912 in honor of the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812. Cake "Napoleon" was triangular in shape and resembles the famous cocked hat defeated emperor. Interestingly, over the years, it is this feature of "Napoleon" was safely forgotten today cakes are increasingly making rectangular.

The perfect recipe

Under the name "Napoleon" hidden flaky pastry with custard, but there are so many variations of the recipe, to find among them the only right is not possible. How exactly should prepare a cake, pastry, each solves itself. Not surprisingly, the desert is a truly multifaceted. From a simple cake made from puff finished with fat butter cream to exquisite fragrant vanilla Vanilla: sweet tenderness   dessert of the hundreds of subtle layers impregnated with a delicate egg-based cream.

The simplest version of "Napoleon" is preparing puff, usually unleavened or precocious. It is best suited for this cake dough which, after baking, is soft and crumbly - otherwise inconvenient to have dessert, hard cakes are not impregnated with a cream, and when cutting the cake crumbles. Number of cakes depends on their thickness - from two to ten.

At the same time, "puff pastry" - this is not necessarily a cake of puff. There are recipes for "Napoleon" from which its composition is close to the sandy. The oil is added to the dough is cold, chopped into pieces. Normally, sugar is added to the dough in a minimum amount. Korzh roll out very thinly and in the process of baking acquire a layered structure. There are recipes from curd.

As a basis for "Napoleon" can be used even finished products, such as dried thin Armenian lavash or matzo. In combination with a cream such "semi-finished" provide new, interesting flavor.

Cream

As for the cream, it can also be different. The classic filling for "Napoleon" is considered the custard on the eggs (egg yolks) - the so-called "English" cream. Often used as other variations of custard - on eggs and flour or a flour or starch.

Of course, the cream formulation may vary. For example, instead of the custard is often used whipped cream or oil with condensed milk. There are even recipes for "Napoleon" with sour cream or cottage cheese. Most importantly, the cream should be sweet enough to compensate for the lack of sugar in the dough and liquid enough to soak the cakes. Therefore, creams with gelatin or agar-agar is not used for the preparation of "Napoleon" never.

Important nuances

Cake "Napoleon" is usually prepared at least one day before the celebration, to have time to soak cream cakes. The more cake layers, the more difficult it is to prepare and more tasty it is obtained by, as better impregnated with thin crusts than thick. Interlayer cake should be liberally, using almost cooled cream.

Ready should not crumble cake: cream impregnated layers are soft and elastic. Before serving the cake trimmed by cutting the sides. Trim ground and used for sprinkling.

Traditionally, the dough and cream flavored with vanilla or vanilla. You can also use to flavor of lemon or orange peel, coconut flakes. Very original is obtained cake with cocoa, although this cake can not be called a classic. Many people add nuts posypku cake or cream (in the latter case, they should be cut as finely as possible). It is better to use in case of almonds or hazelnuts peanuts can make a primitive flavor cake and walnuts "Napoleon" can be a little bitter.

As a rule, "Napoleon" does not add any fruit. But for a change, you can try to partially replace cream jam or cream to put in, say, a banana puree. Such variations can certainly find its fans.

In addition, there are also sweet pastries and snack varieties, "Napoleon." Such snack cakes puff with eggs, pate, herbs and mushrooms - a great boon for the holiday table.

Decor

Traditionally the cake "Napoleon" is decorated very simple, not to say primitive. The top and sides of cake coated with cream and sprinkle with crumbs of cakes scraps. Thus, with the decoration of cake to handle even a baby. This simplicity has long been a distinctive sign of a special cake, which does not need a lavish décor.

However, sometimes daring cooks violate tradition and trim Cake otherwise. For example, coated with icing and decorated with cream. Learn "Napoleon" with such ornaments is difficult, but the taste is, in the opinion of those who have tried these original versions are not affected.

Maria Bykov

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