Napoleon Cake Or Mille-feuille Recipe

Making the Pastry Cream

1. In a medium saucepan, mix the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and milk over medium heat. Stir until the sugar and cornstarch dissolve. 2. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Gradually add some of the hot milk mixture to the yolks to temper them, then pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. 3. Remove from heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Cover the surface of the pastry cream with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and chill it in the refrigerator until cold.

Preparing the Puff Pastry

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). 2. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 3mm. Prick the pastry all over with a fork to prevent it from puffing up too much. 3. Cut the pastry into desired sizes. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until golden and puffed. Allow to cool.

Assembling the Napoleon Cake

1. Once all components are cool, start assembling the cake by laying down a layer of puff pastry. 2. Spread a layer of pastry cream over the puff pastry. Repeat the layering process, finishing with a layer of puff pastry on top. 3. Chill the assembled cake in the refrigerator for a few hours to allow the layers to set. 4. Just before serving, dust the top layer with powdered sugar for that classic finish.