Napoleon Cake
This Parsi-style Napoleon Cake is a rich, dense almond pastry layered with vibrant fruit jams, distinct from the flaky French Mille-feuille. The dough, enriched with plenty of butter, ground almonds, and candied citrus peel, is baked into golden discs that are stacked high to create an impressive centerpiece. Finished with a dusting of sugar or a glaze and crystallized fruits, it offers a delightful combination of nutty, buttery, and fruity flavors perfect for festive occasions.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Powdered sugar (Originally 0.5 ratal (approx 225g).)
- 2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour (Originally 25 tolas (approx 290g). Plus extra for dusting.)
- 1 1/4 cups Sweet almonds (Originally 15 tolas (approx 175g). Blanched.)
- 1 cup Butter (Originally 0.5 ratal (approx 225g). Softened.)
- 3 tablespoons Candied orange or citron peel (Originally 3 tolas. Finely chopped.)
- 1 teaspoon Almond extract (Originally 2.5 tolas bitter almonds. Substituted with extract for safety and convenience.)
- 6 large Eggs
- 2 tablespoons Rose water (For grinding almonds.)
- 1 cup Fruit jam (various colors) (Strawberry, apricot, or mixed fruit for layering.)
- 1/4 cup Crystallized fruit and sprinkles (For decoration.)
Instructions
- 1Blanch and peel the almonds. Grind them very finely with the rose water and almond extract to form a smooth paste.
- 2Lightly roast the flour in a dry pan just to remove raw moisture (do not brown), then let it cool. In a large bowl, mix the flour, powdered sugar, softened butter, prepared almond paste, chopped candied peel, and eggs. Knead everything together well. If the mixture is too soft to handle, add a little extra flour until it forms a pliable dough.
- 3Place the dough in a dish, cover with a cloth, and let it rest in a cool place (or refrigerator) for 30 minutes to firm up.
- 4Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into rounds using a saucer or large cookie cutter. Place the cakes on a flour-dusted baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until they turn a lovely reddish-golden color. You may crimp or decorate the edges before baking if desired.
- 5Allow the cakes to cool completely. Spread different colored jams on the layers and stack them on top of each other to form a high cake, pressing lightly to adhere. Dust the top with powdered sugar or apply a thin icing glaze. Decorate with crystallized fruits, sprinkles, or dragees as desired.