Napoleon or Mille Feuille is a super delicious dessert with layers of puff pastry and pastry cream filling. This unique dessert is creamy, airy, crispy, and flaky, with decadent flavors in every bite.
What is Napoleon or Mille Feuille?
Traditionally Mille Feuille or Napoleon, which means a thousand sheets in French, is made up of three layers of puff pastry (pâte feuilletée) and two layers of pastry cream (crème pâtissière). The top layer of pastry is then topped with cream, icing, fondant, glaze, or your favorite nuts.
You will see many variations of Napoleon and/or mille-feuille. I am not an expert on saying anything about the traditional ones. Whenever I have ordered Napoleons at restaurants or bakeries, it has always come with a surprise. Every establishment has its take on this popular dessert. This is my version; I have prepared fresh vanilla buttercream to fill between the puff pastry sheets. I have added a layer of strawberry jam between the cream layers, and I love to serve this dessert, as shown in the picture 🙂
Best dessert for any occasion
Napoleon is my family's favorite dessert recipe. You can serve this for Christmas, Thanksgiving holiday parties, Birthdays or Anniversaries, or even this Valentine's day.
As a host, you will always need a dessert that is simple to make with little or no mess, but also one that looks grand and festive at the same time. It should also be so tasty that it satisfies everyone's sweet cravings and leaves your guests wishing there were additional helpings!
Puff Pastry Recipes
I have become a huge fan of Puff Pastry; lately, I have used them to create many recipes (do check out the list below).
- palmiers or little hearts
- strawberry turnovers - popular post
- apple cheese danish - most loved recipe on the blog
- puff pastry pizza
- mini veg puff bites - best for parties and the super bowl
- veggie pinwheels
- apple tarts
- puff samosa
These sheets' beauty is that they come out perfect every single time. When baked, they turn out super flaky and crispy, with a beautiful golden color every time. Even if you have decided to make a dessert at the very last minute, these sheets will not disappoint you. I will definitely prepare some desserts and appetizers this holiday season using these puff pastry sheets - as I know everyone will love them.
Napoleon Ingredients
For the puff pastry layers
- Puff pastry sheet - 1
- Sugar - 2 tbsp
- Egg - 1 (use milk or cream for vegetarian version)
- Strawberry jam - ⅓ cup
For vanilla buttercream or pastry cream
- Unsalted Butter - 1 ½ sticks (¾ cup)
- Vegetable Shortening - ¾ cup
- Salt - ¼ tsp
- Vanilla extract - 2 tsp
- Confectioners sugar - 3 cups
- Heavy cream - 4 tbsp
How to make the best Napoleon dessert or Mille Feuille French pastry?
Prepare Vanilla Buttercream
- In a large mixing bowl, add unsalted butter, shortening, and salt. Using a handheld mixer (or a stand mixer), cream them together for about 2 minutes.
- Then add vanilla extract and confectioners sugar and continue mixing for another 2 minutes.
- Drizzle in heavy cream and continue whisking (for 3 minutes) until it is stiff and creamy.
- Vanilla buttercream is now ready. Keep it refrigerated until further use. It stays well for up to a week when refrigerated in an air-tight container.
Bake Puff Pastry Sheets
- Thaw the pastry sheet as per package instructions. Transfer this to a well-floured working surface and roll it into a 9 by 12 inch rectangle using a rolling pin.
- Cut them into 9, 3-inch by 4-inch rectangles. Transfer the 9-puff pastry pieces to a greased baking sheet.
- Using a fork, poke holes in the puff pastry. This ensures that the pastry does not puff excessively.
- Apply egg wash on the top surface of each cut pastry and sprinkle sugar over it. Freeze this for about 5 minutes,
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- After 5 minutes of freezing, bake these for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool them completely on a wire wrack before assembly.
Arrange Mill Feuille Or Napoleon Pastry
- For each Napoleon we need three puff pastry pieces (3 by 4-inch rectangles) to form a 3-layered final product.
- Place the lower puff pastry sheet on a working surface. Spread some buttercream on top and create a level surface using a spatula.
- Add about a teaspoon of strawberry jam on top of the buttercream.
- Now take the second piece of puff pastry. Apply buttercream on one side and level it with a spatula. Now place this pastry such that the buttercream side is down and is used to sandwich the strawberry jam that we added.
- Apply a layer of buttercream on top of the second piece of pastry, and then add some strawberry jam.
- Now apply buttercream to one side of the third puff pastry piece, and use this buttercream end to create a sandwich of strawberry jam between the middle and topmost puff pastry layer. This completes the assembly of the first Napoleon!
- Repeat until you have assembled the remaining two Napoleons.
- Serve and enjoy!
Pro Tips
- During the baking process, if you notice that the pastry sheets are puffing excessively, use a toothpick or a sharp knife to poke holes through the puffed-up surface. This releases any steam and flattens the pastry to some extent.
- You can use any jam, substitute it with some fresh (or caramelized) berries, or skip it. You can prepare this ahead of time, as it will stay fresh and crispy for up to a day.
- You can store this dessert at room temperature; however, if it is warm outside, I recommend refrigerating it until you are ready to serve. For best taste, eat it as soon as it is assembled.
- During or after the assembly of Napoleons, if you feel that the buttercream is soft, you can freeze the Napoleons for about 5-10 minutes or until you are ready to serve.
Recipe card
Napoleon Pastry Dessert | Mille Feuille Pastry
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
For the puff pastry layers
- 1 Puff pastry sheet
- 2 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 Egg (use milk or cream for vegetarian version)
- ⅓ cup Strawberry jam
For vanilla buttercream or pastry cream
- 1 ½ sticks Unsalted butter ( ¾ cup)
- ¾ cup Vegetable shortening
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 3 cups Confectioners sugar
- 4 tablespoon Heavy cream
Instructions
Prepare pastry cream or buttercream
- In a large mixing bowl, add unsalted butter, shortening, and salt. Using a handheld mixer (or a stand mixer), cream them together for about 2 minutes.1 ½ sticks Unsalted butter ( ¾ cup), ¾ cup Vegetable shortening, ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Then add vanilla extract and confectioners sugar and continue mixing for another 2 minutes.1 teaspoon Vanilla extract, 3 cups Confectioners sugar
- Drizzle in heavy cream and continue whisking (for 3 minutes) until it is stiff and creamy.4 tablespoon Heavy cream
- Vanilla buttercream is now ready. Keep it refrigerated until further use. It stays well for up to a week when refrigerated in an air-tight container.
Bake Puff Pastry Sheets
- Thaw the pastry sheet as per package instructions. Transfer this to a well-floured working surface and roll it into a 9 by 12 inch rectangle using a rolling pin.1 Puff pastry sheet
- Cut them into 9, 3-inch by 4-inch rectangles. Transfer the 9-puff pastry pieces to a greased baking sheet.
- Using a fork, poke holes in the puff pastry. This ensures that the pastry does not puff excessively.
- Apply egg wash on the top surface of each cut pastry and sprinkle sugar over it. Freeze this for about 5 minutes,1 Egg, 2 tablespoon Sugar
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- After 5 minutes of freezing, bake these for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool them completely on a wire wrack before assembly.
Arrange Mill Feuille Pastry or Napoleon dessert
- For each Napoleon we need three puff pastry pieces (3 by 4-inch rectangles) to form a 3-layered final product.
- Place the lower puff pastry sheet on a working surface. Spread some buttercream on top and create a level surface using a spatula.
- Add about a teaspoon of strawberry jam on top of the buttercream.⅓ cup Strawberry jam
- Now take the second piece of puff pastry. Apply buttercream on one side and level it with a spatula. Now place this pastry such that the buttercream side is down and is used to sandwich the strawberry jam that we added.
- Apply a layer of buttercream on top of the second piece of pastry, and then add some strawberry jam.
- Now apply buttercream to one side of the third puff pastry piece, and use this buttercream end to create a sandwich of strawberry jam between the middle and topmost puff pastry layer. This completes the assembly of the first Napoleon!
- Repeat until you have assembled the remaining two Napoleons.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- During the baking process, if you notice that the pastry sheets are puffing excessively, use a toothpick or a sharp knife to poke holes through the puffed-up surface. This releases any steam and flattens the pastry to some extent.
- You can use any jam, substitute it with some fresh (or caramelized) berries, or skip it. You can prepare this ahead of time, as it will stay fresh and crispy for up to a day.
- You can store this dessert at room temperature; however, if it is warm outside, I recommend refrigerating it until you are ready to serve. For best taste, eat it as soon as it is assembled.
- During or after the assembly of Napoleons, if you feel that the buttercream is soft, you can freeze the Napoleons for about 5-10 minutes or until you are ready to serve.
Nutrition
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Tavo
I thought it was going to be so much harder to put together; it was surprisingly easy! Thanks for the recipe!
Renee B
Napoleons are one of our favorites - light, delicious, and so easy to make. Perfect for company, too!
Gail Montero
These look like dessert perfection to me! Love napoleons and great to find a good recipe like this!
Sara Welch
Enjoyed this for dessert last night and it was a hit all around the table! Perfectly light, moist and hands down delicious!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
Thank you so much! The flavors are perfect and I can’t wait to try this recipe!