Chocolate Almond Crepe Cake
This Chocolate Almond Crepe Cake recipe is a marvelous example of humble ingredients elevated to decadence, with a layering of delicate, chocolate almond and cinnamon infused crepes filled with rich, creamy vanilla custard, creating a dessert that is as luxurious in texture as it is in flavor.
Equipment
- 1 Kitchen Aid mixer fitted with whisk attachment
- 1 Skillet small
- 1 Saucepan small
- 1 Measuring cups set
- 1 Measuring spoons set
- 1 Mesh strainer small
- 1 Rubber spatula small
- 1 Pastry brush small
- 1 Immersion blender
- 1 Glass jar pint size
- 1 Mixing bowl medium
Ingredients
Chocolate Almond Crepes Batter
- 3/4 cup Flour
- 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
- 6 tbs Sugar
- 2 Whole Eggs
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- 1/4 tsp Almond Extract
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/8 tsp Cinnamon
Vanilla Pastry Custard
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 1 tbsp Brandy
- 1 tsp Vanilla Bean paste
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 2 tbsp Powdered Sugar
- 1/8 tsp Cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp Agar Agar
- 1/8 tsp Kosher Salt
Instructions
Chocolate Almond Crepes
- Beginning with room temperature ingredients will set you up for success here.
- Fit Kitchen Aid mixer with bowl and whisk attachment.
- Add eggs, melted (cooled) butter, almond extract and set to speed 1.
- Slowly pour in the milk and continue to whisk.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt and cinnamon.
- Slowly add dry mixture to the kitchen aid bowl, splitting into 3 additions.
- When all has been added, increase Kitchen Aid speed to setting 6 and continue to whisk for 3 minutes.
- Pour batter into a glass pitcher (pint size Pyrex liquid measure cup works great here) and place in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes. This part can be done up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- While you wait, prepare your Vanilla Pastry Custard Filling and do a quick clean up.
- Set 6" cast iron skillet on burner, setting 4 and pre-heat for 5 minutes.
- Brush skillet VERY lightly with melted butter.
- Pour 2 tbsp of Chocolate Almond Crepe batter into the center of the skillet.
- QUICKLY NOW! Pick up the skillet and swirl it, making sure batter leaves a very thin coating across the bottom of the skillet. It's all in the wrist, if this is your first time do not worry, I promise by number 3 you will have it down!
- Cook the crepes for 2 minutes, flip (I use a small rubber spatula for this) and cook for 30 more seconds.
- Stack cooked crepes on a small plate lined with a clean linen kitchen towel.
- Repeat until all the crepes are cooked.
Vanilla Pastry Custard
- Set small saucepan on burner, setting 3.
- Add heavy cream, sugar, powdered sugar, salt, brandy, vanilla bean paste, cinnamon and egg yolks and whisk all together thoroughly.
- Add agar agar and continue to whisk until all is cohesive and custardy, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer custard to pint size glass jar or Pyrex (you can use your strainer here is you have any lumps) and place in the refrigerator and chill for 20 minutes or so, while you cook your crepes.
- When your crepes are ready, remove custard from the refrigerator, and puree quickly with immersion blender. Texture should be perfectly smooth, thick and fluid (not runny).
Build the Cake
- These steps look super long, but this is SO EASY once you get going!
- Place one crepe on the edge of your work surface.
- Place 2 tbsp of pastry custard in the center of your crepe.
- Next, fold crepe in half moon shape, by folding in half once, to the left.
- Repeat these steps with half the stack of crepes, creating a crepe chain, layering the end of each crepe on top of the last, so each overlaps by 1".
- Place a dab of custard on each end of your layered "chain" of crepes.
- Beginning with the last crepe, carefully roll the crepes from one end of the chain to the beginning, creating a rosette.
- Carefully turn the crepe roll 90 degrees, and set on on a flat plate, on the "flat side" or "bottom" of the rosette, for it to "stand up".
- Chill now, in the freezer for 10 minutes, while you fill the rest of your crepes, creating half moons filled with Vanilla Pastry Custard.
- Now you will spread 1 tsp of Vanilla Pastry Custard along the flat edge of each "half moon" stuffed crepe.
- Going around the rosette in a circle, paste each crepe "half moon" to the rosette, until all the crepes are attached and the rosette is a full size rose.
- Once the cake is complete, place it in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.
- To serve garnish and serve, transfer the cake to a pedestal or cake plate. Gently fold the tops of the crepe "petals" outward to give it a realistic look.
- Garnish as desired, dust with cocoa powder, powdered sugar, cinnamon, serve with whipped cream, blackberries, etc.