Napoleon Cake: A Tasty Bite of History in HSE
Beyond its sweet layers, this classic dessert offered me a bite-sized journey into culinary history and cultural heritage. While assisting foreign guests, I found the cake to be more than just a pastry; it became an enjoyable symbol of hospitality and shared experience. This personal encounter highlighted how food transcends borders, bringing together people from diverse backgrounds. Through the simple yet elegant Napoleon Cake, I realized how historical recipes continue to connect communities, enhance cultural understanding, and create memorable experiences, reflecting the spirit of inclusion celebrated by HSE University.
I volunteered on that day, and it was hosted by the Higher School of Economics World Economy and International Affairs faculty where I met different groups of people. The day was hustling since I helped guests around tour. The presenters and guest delegates were served with lunch as an appreciation from the event staff. Before the conference, I never thought desserts would interest me, but I was pleasantly surprised when a simple pastry cup turned out to be the highlight of my day.
The cake stood tall as a rectangular shape with many thin layers of puff pastry and cream topped by golden crumbs. During the first look I hesitated because I wanted to know if I would enjoy the treat. Considering that everyone was enjoying the cake, I made a decision to join them. A taste of this food for the first time was a complete surprise to me. This dessert had a mild sweet taste of vanilla and its individual layers of pastry kept on being crunchy and fresh. When the tastes combined smoothly they sparked my interest. I asked the organizer what kind of cake it was and she smiled hearing me compliment the taste of the cake. She said Napoleon Cake is a master piece in the world of cooking; then she offered a slice to me. My reaction to the cake felt like the excitement of discovering something unexpectedly delightful for the first time.
During my conversation about the cake, I asked for information about its name. The woman understood my interest and started telling me about the way the cake achieved its well-known name.
Historic strata of a cake
The layers of Napoleon cake have been so well characterized with historical background as well. Based on the region of France with its marvellous pastries, the Napoleon dessert takes its origin. Indeed, the cake is inspired by another French pastry called the mille-feuille (French for “a thousand layers”), where fragile puff pastry and cream are used as well. Some historians add that the French version of Napoleon cake got its name without referring to Emperor Napoleon. The Nibble describes how people got the mishearing of the French name gâteau Napolitain for Neapolitan cake and incorrectly assumed Napolitain is a reference for Napoleon. Notwithstanding the fact that the dessert got its name from Napoleon because of the linguistic error, its name was trapped in Napoleon having received deep patriotic connotations in Russia.
The cake was first brought to Russia in the 1800s and in 1912 was the showpiece for a tremendous gathering of pride in Russian nationalism. 1912 pastry chefs of Moscow reconstructed a special pastry for commemorating the Russian military success against an opponent Napoleon Bonaparte that spanned one hundred years. The first Napoleon cakes were served in the form of petit triangles with facial resemblance of the bicorn hats.
The Napoleon cake used to be a small fruit tart in shape, but with time, it transformed into its current layered shape. Individuals began to bake the dessert in sheet to distribute the same to others rather than preparing individual portions. A magnificently tall classic Napoleon cake now is proudly topped with at least eight layers of buttery puff pastry interleaved with rich cream). People prepare homemade ravinhos with as many as twelve layers of filling to savour. During the Soviet period, several changes in the recipe were made by home cooks. Although the supplies were limited, people made Napoleon cake as they had to continue the tradition of baking. The cake remained significant in the war-time and the tranquil periods.
Napoleon cake acquired legends and symbolic connotations for several years. When I found the cake covering with flaky crumbs, I could not help but notice. Belief has it that the crumbly top is not only for aesthetic purposes but symbolic purposes as well because the topping represents the snow that came to the help of Russia during its military victory against the invasion of Napoleon in 1812.
Just as the snow from nature, the cake celebrates the victory in its components. The custom of decorating a Napoleon cake with snow is still observed despite the fact that bakers do not always remember about its military origins of each cook up.
Napoleon cake is a popular dessert heritage in Russian society even to date. For Russian families during the New Year’s celebrations, a homemade Napoleon cake was the ultimate dessert decision. New Year celebrations have to be accompanied with a Napoleon cake, according to the belief of the people across Russia. People prepare the Napoleons at home for serving during the December celebrations, after which they bake them during the rest of the year. The cake has really passed the test of time. People still love it for the taste as well as for the history it comes with. By personal experience I discovered that Napoleon cake is not only and eventuality, it is also a terrific taste.
Let Everyone Savour the Delight of Napoleon Cake
I got something more than a thank-you document on my HSE volunteering time as I got new dessert preference as well as future sharing tale. Experimenting with Napoleon cake opened my eyes to the relation between food and the historical exploits. One’s life is not complete if they have not tried the Napoleon cake because the dessert experience is more than one can imagine. Napoleon cake offers exquisite dining experience since you listen to the crunch of the pastry and enjoy the silkiness of the pastry cream on every bite. There is a specific texture and taste of Napoleon cake as richness and airiness do overlap without the overdose of sweetness. This cake had such a strong impact on me at my very first bite that it can attract even a person who does not have a sweet tooth.
The history of Napoleon cake is worth trying due to significant historical legacy. Consumption of this dessert is an opportunity to learn a little bit about the Russian culture. This cake recipe survived throughout ages as victory in the Franco-Prussian War was the reason why nations maintained it. As you consume the creamy cake layers that you have been sharing, you get to share history with Russian families who have baked this treat for special occasions for decades to rejoice for their win and their close ties with family members. Food was always used to bring people together but Napoleon cake exceeds these standards, as the dish is based on strength and joy.
Taste Napoleon cake when you get an opportunity. On that day, I learnt that hearty food has two functions as it brings the delight to the mouth and joy to the heart – Napoleon cake is an excellent example of such dietary product.
References:
● Atlas Obscura: Russian Napoleon Cake: https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/russian-napoleon-cake
● Saveur: A Russian New Year's Eve Tradition: https://www.saveur.com/russian-tradition-napoleon-cake/
● Bake-Street.com: Russian Napoleon Cake Recipe: https://bake-street.com/en/russian-napoleon-cake/
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