Essay About Unique Crepe Cakes

Easy and Fabulous Crepe Cakes

For some people cakes can be challenging to make, but you can make elegant and delicious cakes from crepes. If you’re not comfortable with making crepes, you can purchase them frozen from your supermarket. Some of the following recipes use up to 40 crepes so read the recipe carefully before purchasing your frozen crepes.

To make some of the crepe cakes you will need a springform pan the size of the crepes you have made or bought or a straight eye! There is nothing like a leaning cake! Most of the crepe cakes, however use a flat plate and you stack the crepes on successive layers of filling.

The fillings you can use are as varied as your imagination. Try alternating layers with whipped cream and mashed berries sweetened with agave or liqueur. Or how about your favorite jam, jelly or marmalade. Flavored buttercream is also nice. Use the recipes as guidelines to add your favorite flavors. Let’s get started and stack those crepes.

Basic Crepe Recipe

6 tablespoons butter

3 cups milk

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

7 tbsp. sugar

Pinch salt

vegetable oil

For the batter, cook the butter in a small pan until brown like hazelnuts. Set aside. In another small pan, heat the milk until steaming; allow to cool for 10 minutes. In a mixer on medium-low speed, beat together the eggs, flour, sugar and salt. Slowly add the hot milk and browned butter. Pour into a container with a spout, cover and refrigerate overnight.

To make the crepes, bring the batter to room temperature. Place a nonstick or seasoned 9-inch crepe pan over medium heat. Swab the surface with the oil, then add about 3 tablespoons batter and swirl to cover the surface. Cook until the bottom just begins to brown, about 1 minute, then carefully lift an edge and flip the crepe with your fingers. Cook on the other side for no longer than 5 seconds. Flip the crepe onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Repeat until you have 20 perfect crepes.

Buy Frozen Crepes

If you don’t want to fuss with making the crepes, buy them frozen at your supermarket. They are light and tender and ready made. It will save you time and perhaps some frustration if you haven’t made crepes before. They are easy to make however.

Toffee Crunch Crepe Cake

This video shows how to make crepes and subsequently the Toffee Crunch Crepe Cake. Yummy!https://www.youtube.com/embed/U-2E2WqG8Qk?wmode=transparent&start=0https://www.youtube.com/embed/bS-qLViqsTA?wmode=transparent&start=0

Crepe Pans

There are all kinds and qualities of crepe pans. Non-stick crepe pans are the easiest to work with, but if you’re a purist or you don’t like non-stick coatings you can purchase a steel or cast iron pan and season it well before using it. Some of the less expensive pans will not heat as evenly and you will have to watch your temperature. Expect that the first couple of crepes you make may be the casualties of adjusting batter thickness and temperature.

Crepe pans usually have much lower sides than a regular fry pan because traditionally you grab the edges of the crepe with your fingers and flip it over when the first side is cooked. Crepes are so delicate that using a spatula to flip them can tear or damage the crepe.

Strawberry Kiwi Crepe Cake

This crepe cake is a simple layering of whipped cream between crepes and topped with chocolate drizzle, more whipped cream, strawberries and kiwi fruit. This is a really quick dessert to put together if you make the crepes ahead or buy them frozen and thaw them.

Make the basic crepe recipe above and lay the cooked crepes on a clean tea towel with waxed paper between them to cool. If you are not assembling the dessert right away, wrap the crepes in plastic wrap and refrigerate them.

This cake is best served the day it is made as the whipped cream can have a tendency to collapse and separate, making the cake soggy and give it an unappealing appearance.

Tiramisu Crepe Cake

This crepe cake is heaven. It is so delicious you will have to resist eating the bowl of filling before you get your cake assembled.https://www.youtube.com/embed/GAztmloIvC4?wmode=transparent&start=0

Crepe Cake With Chocolate Hazelnut Drizzle

20 basic crepes

1 – 8 oz pkg cream cheese (softened)

2 – 8 oz containers mascarpone cheese

1 – 3.4 oz vanilla instant pudding mix

3/4 cup milk

1-2 tsp almond extract

1 container Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread

1/4 cup milk

Beat cream cheese, mascarpone, pudding mix, 3/4 cup milk and almond extract until smooth. Place a crepe on cake stand and spread a thin layer of custard over the entire crepe. Continue to layer crepes and thin custard layers. The 20th crepe will be the last layer. Place cake in refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving to allow custard to set up.

Just before serving, mix container of Nutella with 1/4 cup milk in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until smooth, stirring as needed. Slice cake with a large serrated knife to provide a clean cut. Place each slice on a plate and drizzle nutella mixture on top.

Multi-Layered Crepe Cake

6 tablespoons butter

3 cups milk

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

7 tbsp. sugar

Pinch salt

vegetable oil

The day before serving the cake, make the crepe batter and the pastry cream. For the batter, cook the butter in a small pan until brown like hazelnuts. Set aside. In another small pan, heat the milk until steaming; allow to cool for 10 minutes. In a mixer on medium-low speed, beat together the eggs, flour, sugar and salt. Slowly add the hot milk and browned butter. Pour into a container with a spout, cover and refrigerate overnight.

For the vanilla pastry cream:

2 cups milk

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted

3 1/2 tbsp. butter

Bring the milk to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract then set aside for 10 minutes. Fill a large bowl with ice and set aside a small bowl that can hold the finished pastry cream and be placed in this ice bath.

In a medium heavy-bottomed pan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, then place pan over high heat and bring to a boil, whisking vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes. Press the pastry cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the small bowl. Set the bowl in the ice bath and stir until the temperature reaches 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Stir in the butter. When completely cool, cover and refrigerate.

To assemble the cake:

2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon sugar

3 tablespoons Kirsch

icing sugar (optional)

Whip the heavy cream with the tablespoon sugar and the Kirsch. It won’t hold stiff peaks but that’s okay. Fold it into the pastry cream.

Lay 1 crepe on a cake plate. Using an icing spatula, completely cover with a thin layer of pastry cream (about 1/4 cup). Cover with a crepe and repeat to make a stack of 20, with the best-looking crepe on top. Chill for at least 2 hours. Set out for 30 minutes before serving. If you have a blowtorch for creme brulee, sprinkle the top crepe with 2 tablespoons sugar and caramelize with the torch; otherwise, dust with confectioners’ sugar. Slice like a cake.

Chocolate Crepe Crepe Cake

1 2/3 cups (250g) plain flour

3 tbsp cocoa powder

3 tbsp caster sugar

3 eggs, plus 3 egg yolks

600ml milk

40g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra melted butter to brush

Mix flour, sugar, eggs, yolks and milk in a blender or food processor until smooth, then pour into a jug and stand for 30 minutes. Just before cooking, stir 40g melted butter (2 tbs) through the batter.

Heat an 18cm crepe pan or non-stick frypan over medium-high heat. Brush with extra melted butter, add enough batter to coat base, swirl to cover, then tip out any excess. Cook for 45 seconds, then flip and cook for 30 seconds more or until golden. Repeat with butter and remaining batter (you should have about 20 crepes), stacking with baking paper in between. The crepes can be made 2 days ahead, then wrapped in foil and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, defrost at room temperature for 1 hour.

Chocolate Mocha Filling

250g good-quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped

50g unsalted butter, chopped

150ml milk

100ml thickened cream

100ml strong black coffee (espresso)

1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar

For the filling, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (ensure bowl doesn’t touch water). Stir in butter, milk, cream, coffee and sugar, then whisk until mixture is smooth and sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for 20-30 minutes until mixture cools and thickens.

Lightly grease an 18cm springform pan. Place a crepe in pan and spread with a little filling. Continue layering, finishing with a crepe. You should have about 1/3 cup (80ml) filling left. Cover cake with foil and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 180Â°C.

Place cake pan on a baking tray and heat gently for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, reheat remaining filling in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water for 2-3 minutes until warm. Serve cake drizzled with filling and additional sweetened whipped cream or fresh table cream as desired.

Lemon Crepe Cake

Meyer lemons are ideal for this recipe because they aren’t too tart. If they aren’t available, you can substitute regular lemons, but you may need to add more sugar to taste.

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups whole milk, room temperature

3 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, melted, plus more, melted, for pan

Meyer Lemon Curd Mousse

1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped

1 tbsp grated lemon zest

Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Whisk together milk, eggs, and vanilla. Gradually pour milk mixture into flour mixture, whisking until smooth. Whisk in butter. Pour through a fine sieve into an airtight container; discard lumps. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Lightly coat a 6-inch crepe pan or nonstick skillet with butter. Heat over medium heat until just starting to smoke. Remove from heat; pour about 2 tablespoons batter into center. Swirl to cover bottom. Reduce heat to medium-low; return pan to heat. Cook until edges are golden and center is dry, about 30 seconds per side.

Slide crepe onto an overturned plate. Repeat with remaining batter, coating pan with butter as needed, and stacking crepes. Let cool.

Place 1 crepe on a flat serving dish. Spread about 1/4 cup lemon curd mousse onto crepe. Top with 1 crepe. Continue layering crepes and mousse. (Use 15 crepes, ending with a crepe on top.) Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Top crepe cake with whipped cream and grated lemon zest or if you want to get fancy, 3 candied lemon slices for garnish.

Meyer Lemon Curd Mousse

Makes about 3 3/4 cups

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from one 1/4-ounce envelope)

1 tablespoon cold water

4 large eggs plus 6 large yolks1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons finely grated Meyer lemon zest (from 2 lemons), plus 3/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice (from 5 to 6 lemons)

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes.

Whisk together eggs and yolks in a heavy small saucepan. Whisk in sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cook, whisking constantly, over medium-low heat, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove pan from heat; add gelatin, stirring constantly, until gelatin dissolves and mixture is slightly cool. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, stirring after each addition, until smooth.

Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing with a rubber spatula to remove as much curd as possible; discard any undissolved bits of gelatin and egg. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or overnight. Stir curd, and gently fold in whipped cream. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Stir before using.

Chocolate Crepe Cake With Green Tea Pastry Cream

Chocolate CrÃªpes

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (220g) all purpose flour

1/3 cup (30g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 cup (100g) sugar

Pinch of salt

8 large eggs

2 cups plus 1 tablespoon (500g) whole milk

Grated zest of 2 oranges

10 tablespoons (5 oz. or 150g) unsalted butter, browned

1 cup (250g) heavy cream

Vegetable oil, for the pan

Green Tea Pastry Cream

2 cups plus 1 tablespoon (500 g) whole milk

2 teaspoons (10g) powdered green tea

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (120g) sugar

5 tablespoons (40g) cornstarch

6 large egg yolks

4 tablespoons (2oz.; 60g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 cup (250g) heavy cream

Make the crÃªpes: Combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and orange zest. Incorporate them gradually into the dry ingredients, whisking constantly with one hand as you pour them with the other. Doing this slowly will prevent lumps from forming. Whisk in the butter, then the cream. Strain the batter over a bowl to make sure that it is smooth, then whisk it again so that it is thoroughly combined. Cover the batter, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Whisk the batter well. Place a small crÃªpe pan or nonstick skillet (about 8 inches in diameter) over medium heat. Pour about 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in the pan to grease it. Once it is hot, use a 1/4 cup measuring cup or a small ladle to pour a little less than 1/4 cup of batter in the pan. There should be just enough batter in the pan to coat the bottom in a thin layer. Tilt the pan in a circular motion so that the batter is evenly spread in the pan.

After about 2 minutes, the edges of the crÃªpe should start firming up. Use a spatula to lift a side of the crÃªpe and flip it over. Cook on the other side for about 1 minute, then remove the crÃªpe to a plate. Repeat the process until all of the batter is used, piling the crÃªpes one on top of the other as they are cooked. If the crÃªpes start to stick to the pan, add a little more oil. Cover the stack of crÃªpes with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cool, up to 1 day.

Make the Pastry Cream: Line a shallow pan, such as a 9-inch square cake pan or a small rimmed baking sheet, with plastic wrap. Bring the milk to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the green tea powder.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar and cornstarch in a medium bowl, and whisk in the yolks. Continue whisking until the yolks turn a very pale yellow. Slowly pour a fourth of the milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to keep the yolks from curdling. Once the milk is well incorporated, return the mixture to the saucepan over medium heat, and cook, whisking constantly and scraping the bottom and sides of the pot with the whisk to prevent lumps from forming, until it becomes very thick and bubbles start popping from the center of the pan for at least 20 seconds. You need to bring it to a boil so that the cornstarch gets activated.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Pour the pastry cream in the prepared pan and cover it with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate it until it is completely cool, up to 1 day ahead.

Whip the heavy cream at medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until it holds soft peaks. Whisk the pastry cream to a creamy texture, then gently fold in the whipped cream with spatula.

Assemble the Cake: Place one of the cooled crepes on a serving platter. With a small offset spatula, spread a very thin layer (about 1/16 inch) of the green tea pastry cream over the crepe, going all the way to the edges. Place another crepe on top and repeat the process until the cake is 2 to 3 inches tall. Refrigerate for about 1 hour before serving, up to 6 hours ahead, so that the cake has time to set.