Chocolate Crepe Cake
MAKES
one 8 inch / 20 cm crepe cake
TAKES
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
✻ ABOUT THIS RECIPE
Crepe cakes are incredibly impressive, but surprisingly simple to make. One of my favorite parts about them is that since crepes keep well - this is an awesome option for a make-ahead dessert that’s easy to throw together. Crepes are stacked together with thin layers of whipped cream. As the cake sits, the crepes absorb some of the moisture from the filling, and becomes perfectly sliceable. This version uses chocolate crepes and chocolate whipped cream, and is super delicious. Serve it with hot fudge or chocolate sauce to take it seriously over the top.
INGREDIENTS
Crepe Cake
705 g / 3 cups cold heavy cream
150 g / ¾ cups granulated sugar
33 g / ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for finishing
15 g / 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1 Batch Chocolate Crepes (see Variations of Crepes)
Ganache
226 g / 8 ounces finely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
530 g / 2 ¼ cups heavy cream
40 g / 2 tablespoons corn syrup
14 g / 1 tablespoon salted butter, at room temperature
Bake This Recipe with Me!
METHOD
1. Make the lemon curd: in a medium pot, melt 56 g / 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, juices, salt, and eggs vigorously to combine.
2. Turn the heat on the pot to low, and gradually add the melted butter to the juice/egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. Return the whole mixture to the pot, whisking well all the time.
3. Raise heat to medium low and cook, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula - and taking care to scrape the sides and bottom of the pan, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the spatula, 3-5 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining 28 g / 2 tablespoons of the butter until it is melted and incorporated.
5. Strain the curd into a storage container, and cover directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming on the surface. To cool the curd faster, strain it into a shallow dish or bowl - the increased surface area will allow the curd to form a thinner layer and cool faster (be sure to still cover the surface directly with plastic wrap). Transfer the curd to the refrigerator until completely chilled, at least 1 hour.
6. Make the lemon whipped cream: in a small bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers until they are well combined.
7. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the cream on medium speed. Gradually add the lemon sugar and continue to whip until the cream reaches medium peaks. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and fold in the chilled lemon curd.
8. Build the crepe cake: choose a platter or cake stand to build the crepe cake on, and make room for it in your refrigerator.
9. Spread about 20 g / 2 tablespoons of whipped cream onto the center of a platter or cake stand, and place a crepe on it. Add another 20 g / 2 tablespoons of cream on top, and spread into a thin, even layer, all the way to the edge of the crepe. Top with another crepe.
10. Continue this process to build the cake until you’ve used all the crepes + cream - the cake should be nice and tall!
11. Transfer the assembled cake to the refrigerator (no need to cover it, but if you want to, cover it loosely with plastic wrap). Chill the cake for at least 4 hours (and up to 24 hours) before slicing and serving. If desired, decorate the finished cake with a thin layer of lemon curd, fresh fruit, or serve slices with fruit sauce.
