Crepe Cake

Crepe Cake

Recipe from New York Times, Amanda Hesser

For The Crepe Batter

6 tablespoons butter

3 cups milk

1½ cups flour

7 tablespoons sugar

pinch salt

For The Vanilla Pastry Cream

2 cups milk

1 vanilla bean, halved and scraped

6 egg yolks

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted

3½ tablespoons butter

For The Assembly

2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon sugar or more

3 tablespoons Kirsch

confectioners’ sugar

The day before, make the crepe batter and the pastry cream.

Batter: In a small pan, cook the butter 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.

Pastry cream: Bring the milk with the vanilla bean and scrapings to a boil, then set aside for 10 minutes; remove bean. Fill a large bowl with ice. Place the finished pastry cream in a smaller bowl, and place it into the larger bowl’s ice bath.

In a medium heavy-bottomed pan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, then place the 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˚F on an instant-read thermometer. Stir in the butter. When completely cool, cover and refrigerate.

Assemble the cake the next day: Bring the batter to room temperature. Place a nonstick or seasoned 9-inch crepe pan over medium heat. Swab the surface with oil, then add about 3 tablespoons of 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.

Pass the pastry cream through a sieve once more. Whip the heavy cream with the tablespoon sugar and the Kirsch. It won’t hold peaks. 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 ¼ 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 crème brûlée, sprinkle the top crepe with 2 tablespoons sugar and caramelize with the torch; otherwise, dust with confectioners’ sugar. Slice like a cake.

Batter adapted from “Joy of Cooking.” Pastry cream adapted from “Desserts,” by Pierre Hermé and Dorie Greenspan.

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