Napoleonka

Napoleonka, also known as kremówka in Poland, is a delightful cream pie featuring two layers of puff pastry filled with various luscious creams such as whipped cream, buttercream, vanilla pastry cream, or meringue. Often, it is dusted with powdered sugar, topped with a dollop of cream, or embellished with icing. This scrumptious treat is a variation of the French mille-feuille, which consists of three layers of puff pastry filled with cream or jam and is also known as a Napoleon.

In Poland, there is a playful debate over whether to call this dessert kremówka or napoleonka. This light-hearted dispute was humorously illustrated by Polish artist Andrzej Mleczko. A popular anecdote suggests that Pope John Paul II favored kremówkas containing alcohol. However, in reality, he preferred the traditional non-alcoholic version. The Pope's fond recollections of savoring kremówkas in his hometown of Wadowice sparked a resurgence in the dessert's popularity, leading many to refer to them as "papal" kremówkas. According to the son of the owner of the Pope's preferred confectionery shop, the original kremówkas were made with vanilla milk pudding cream and did not contain alcohol.

To honor Pope John Paul II's 87th birthday in 2007, a giant kremówka was baked in Rzeszów, further cementing its association with the Pope and amplifying its fame internationally.