Napoleon Cake (Blaettertorte)

As I'm typing this it's almost midnight, just before Aug 3. A very special day, celebrating the day I became a mom 30 years ago. Our beautiful daughter has been celebrating on the other side of the world for 14 hours already. I found it kind of interesting that I'd been asked to bring two cakes to our siblings gathering for tomorrow. We will be celebrating two other special occasions, but in my heart I'm celebrating our daughter's birthday and sending her a cake via blog. Wish it could be for you, Jules! I'm posting a chocolate and a vanilla Napoleon Torte.

Ingredients:
1 c sugar
3 eggs
3/4 c butter, softened
3 Tbsp milk
3 cups flour
3 Tbsp cornstarch
3 tsp baking powder


Beat sugar and eggs well, then beat in the butter and milk. Combine dry ingredients and stir into first mixture. Turn dough onto floured counter to roll into a log shape.
Cover and refrigerate for a few hours.
Prepare 3 large cookie sheets by greasing with shortening and sprinkling on one end with flour. Tip sheet slightly and tap so that flour covers evenly. No need to repeat after first use.

Slice log into 12 even slices. Roll out each slice on floured surface and use an 8 inch dinner plate or bowl to cut circles. This is a very minimal amount of pastry to roll out – you won’t have much left over. If you want to make larger circles, divide the pastry into 10 slices. The first one is the hardest and then you can add the strips to the next one etc. I find that when you try to roll a circle you are using your biceps more than actually pressing the rolling pin. Use the rolling pin to roll up, lift and unroll onto sheets.

Try not to move cookies with hands because you will stretch them – use a knife to unfold and if you have to move it over on the sheet, simply tilt and tap the sheet. Place2 cookies on sheet at an angle to fit.
Bake at 400F for about 5 min., until very light golden in color. Allow to cool on sheet until cookies harden, (5 min) then transfer gently, using lifter, to cooling rack. Re-use the same sheet, without washing, for next batch. Keep 3 sheets in rotation mode. Bake leftover strips (cuttings) to use for crumb topping.
It takes about 1 hour to roll out and bake 12 cookies. These can be made ahead of time and frozen. (Handle gently, putting paper towels between each cookie and folded paper towels around them for cushioning - inside a Tupperware cake holder or round cake pan)
Fill with chocolate or vanilla pudding the day before serving.

VANILLA PUDDING

Ingredients:
5 c milk
10 Tbsp cornstarch
5 Tbsp sugar
¼ tsp pure vanilla powder or
2 tsp vanilla extract
5 egg yolks

FOR CHOCOLATE PUDDING omit vanilla and add 10 Tbsp Nestle Quick Choc Drink mix

Bring 4 c milk to boil (med. heat) in med sized pot, just below Med heat.
Meanwhile, mix cornstarch, sugar, vanilla and 1/4 c milk. Add egg yolks, blending them in well, then 3/4 cup milk, gradually, stirring to make a smooth, thick liquid.
Just when milk starts to boil, stir in the egg mixture, using whisk and stirring hard until it comes to a second boil. Stir hard until smooth. Cool completely.
Beat 1 cup whipping cream and mix with vanilla pudding. Add 1 Tbsp sugar, if needed.

To fill the cake: Put a small amt (1 Tbsp) of pudding in the center of a flat serving plate. This is to keep the cake from slipping around while you try to layer it. Cover with first “cookie” with about ¾ cups pudding and repeat 5 times. Use the leftover pudding to cover the sides. Sprinkle cookie crumbs on top. Cover and refrigerate at least 10 hours. Better after 24 or 48 hours.
Extra Hints:
Cup side of cake as you spread the pudding, to help keep it straight. If the cookies are not very even, try to make up for it by the way you place them on top of each other – rotating fat end over skinny end etc.
Cake may seem wobbly and layers may slip out of position in the first hour (until it settles and cookies soften) You can check the cake and make adjustments during this time. If it leans to one side, place something under one side of the plate to help balance it and keep it from shifting.
I’m making it sound pretty complicated. Just trying to pass on what I’ve learned.

Okay, this was a lot of work! (the blogging part)