Napóleonskökur

Napoleon cake

This cake, in various variations, is often very popular in Scandinavian countries. However, it is not entirely clear how the cake got its name.

One theory says that the name goes back to a trade embargo by Emperor Napoleon on cane sugar - since cane sugar became unaffordable for many people due to the import ban, they had to resort to extracting sugar from beets, and then they could - despite the trade embargo of Emperor Napoleon - still bring sugary sweet cake to the table.

Ingredients for 8 pieces

4 sheets of puff pastry

1 pack of vanilla pudding

half the amount of milk

400 ml cream

1 tsp ground vanilla

100 g raspberry jam

100 g powdered sugar

2 Tbsp cherry juice

8 raspberries/strawberries

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 425 °F (220 °C) upper/lower heat.

Very carefully roll out the puff pastry sheets into rectangles measuring approx. 12 x 32 cm.

Place baking paper on a tray and then bake the dough for about 10 minutes until it is nice and golden.

Prepare the vanilla pudding according to the package instructions, but only use half the amount of milk. Add some additional ground vanilla to the pudding.

Whip the cream until stiff.

Then “layer” the cuts:

First spread the puff pastry slices for the bottom base with jam,...

...then spread with the pudding and then also the cream (put some cream aside before the decoration).

Then place the other floors as lid plates.

Mix the powdered sugar with the cherry juice until smooth and spread on the Napoleon slices.

Then decorate with the remaining cream and place a strawberry on top of each.

Bon appetit!

[Translated from here.]