Who knew the humble crepe could be used in so many versatile ways. So much so that bakeries and cafes all over the globe are now using it to make the now so popular Mille Crepe cake.
If you have ever tasted a Mille Crepe cake, the multiple stacked layers of thin and soft crepes with a delicious cream filling may have enamoured you with the taste like many others who are absolute fans of the unique delicacy.
If you want to make a classic restaurant-quality crepe cake at home but feel that the task is daunting, you may be surprised by how easily this cake can be made. With a few simple tips, the entire process of making the cake from prep to finish can be managed without any hassle. Let us guide you through the step by step process of making a basic crepe cake.
Prepare the Batter
While the Mille crepe cake can be made in different flavours like chocolate or vanilla, we will guide you to make the basic vanilla recipe. The traditional crepe recipe is not necessarily sweet and has a little savoury touch to it but you can add a little sugar to the batter to make a cake out of it. Now we will be detailing the ingredients of the crepes. If you want to make a moderately-sized cake you will have to at least triple the quantity of the ingredients to achieve the desired results.
For Ingredients, you will need
- One cup of flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2-3 tablespoons of sugar (depending on how sweet you want the crepes to be)
- 3 tablespoons of butter (melt it and cool)
- ¾ cup of water
- ½ cup of water
- A dash of vanilla extract
- Some additional butter to grease the pan
The beauty of the Mille Crepe cake is that you can easily prepare the batter by putting all the ingredients in a blender and blend them to make a fine smooth batter of even consistency. Make sure to give the batter a good enough resting time. Chill it in the fridge for a minimum of two hours, preferably overnight. This will help in making light and soft crepes.
Make the Crepes
Now that the batter is well-rested and chilled, it is time to make the crepes. The utensils you will need are:
- A non-stick frying pan; you can use a 9-inch pan
- A ladle or spoon for pouring the batter in the pan
- A spatula for flipping the crepes
Heat the pan a little and grease it. Keep the heat moderate so as to prevent the crepes from browning too quickly. Now pour in the batter and spread it out evenly. You may need to tilt the pan and swirl the batter around to make sure it is evenly spread.
After almost 30 seconds you will notice that the centre of the batter starts drying up. Now run the spatula under the edges and then gently flip it. Allow it to cook for another 10-20 seconds and the crepe is done. You may have to do a few test runs to get the hang of it and make perfect crepes.
Put the crepes gently on a tray or rack to allow them to cool. Do not stack them on top of each other right after they come off the stove. They might turn soggy if you do so.
Prepare the Filling
While the crepes are cooling down, you can use the time to prepare the filling. If there is a lot of time between making the crepes and assembling them, you can store them in the fridge wrapped in an airtight plastic sheet. For the filling, you will need
- 2 cups of heavy cream
- A dash of vanilla extract, around half tsp
- 2-3 tablespoons of powdered sugar
You can use a hand blender to whip up the cream. Once the cream forms soft peaks, add sugar and vanilla to the cream until mixed. Do not over blend the cream.
While this is the recipe of the basic filling, you can add variations of your own. You can add nuts or fresh fruits like chopped up strawberries or blackberries to the filling to give it different textures and tastes. You can also add some flavour or colour to the cream to give it a twist. You can even add chocolate to the filling to enhance the taste of the cake.
Do the Layering and Decorate
Once the filling is prepared and the crepes are cool, you can begin the assembly. Gently place one crepe on the cake plate and spread the filling evenly over it. Now add another crepe and apply the filling again. Repeat the process till all the crepes have been neatly stacked up. Alan Soong, author of “Cara Mengatasi Sembelit” claims that do not add a lot of cream to each layer. If you have added fruits or nuts to the filling, it will keep the crepes stacked up neatly and prevent them from slipping.
Once the layering is complete, top up the cake with cream and fruits as you desire. Put it in the fridge and chill it before serving.
