No-Bake Napoleon Cake Recipe
User Reviews
4.9
No-Bake Napoleon Cake Recipe
Description
This dessert uses palmier cookies, also known as elephant ears, which provide a crisp, flaky layer. The custard filling is prepared on the stove by whisking together sugar, eggs, egg yolks, cornstarch, sweetened condensed milk, and milk. It is cooked gently while whisking constantly until it thickens and reaches just-boiling point.
Vanilla and softened butter are incorporated into the custard after removing it from heat. The custard is then covered directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and left to cool to just warm at room temperature.
The cake is assembled in a springform pan or glass dish by layering custard and cookies, which may be cut or crushed to fill gaps. The layered dessert is chilled to set before serving and can be decorated with fresh berries for added color and flavor contrast.
Ingredients
For the Napoleon Cake:
- 800-900 grams palmier cookie we buy the 2 lb box from Costco, or "elephant ear" cookies
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg from large eggs, whole eggs plus 3 yolks
- 1/3 cup corn starch
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 3 cups milk 2% or whole milk
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 stick 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- Berry to decorate the top
What You Will Need:
- 9 " springform pan or a 9x13 glass casserole dish
- Cake platter
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar, 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks and thoroughly whisk together 1 minute. Add 1/3 cup corn starch and whisk until smooth. Whisk in 1/2 cup condensed milk. Add 3 cups milk while whisking. Once milk is incorporate, place over medium heat and continue whisking frequently until thickened and just starts to boil (8 to 10 min)*. Remove from heat right away.
- Whisk in 1 Tbsp vanilla then add butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Cover custard surface with plastic wrap so a film does not form and let stand at room temperature for one hour until just barely warm.
- While custard cools, prep cookies and cut in half if large to fit more in the pan. To slice, stack cookies and saw carefully with serrated knife. For the crumb coat, place 3-4 cookies in a large ziploc bag, seal and crush with rolling pin.
- Remove the base of a 9" springform pan and place the tightened ring over the center of a cake platter. Spread 4 heaping Tablespoons of custard into the center, holding the ring steady. Arrange as many cookies as you can fit in a single layer into the bottom of pan**. Cover with 5 heaping Tablespoons custard and spread evenly with spatula. Repeat with remaining cookies and custard until you have 4 layers of cookies. Spread remaining frosting over the top, sealing any gaps. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Once you take the cake out of the refrigerator, run a thin spatula around the edge to loosen it from the pan. Sprinkle crushed cookies over top and sides, gently patting to adhere crumbs. Arrange berries over the top and serve.
Notes
- Stir the custard continuously near the end of cooking to prevent lumps and ensure smooth texture.
- Watch the custard closely as it starts to boil since milk foam can obscure the boiling point.
- Use broken pieces of cookie to fill large gaps between layers for a consistent texture.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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