Layer crepe cake

The recipe for crêpe cake is very easy. The idea is to layer the crêpes, filling in between with a light cream flavoured with citrus zest. You therefore need to make all the crêpes in advance and assemble the cake once they have cooled.

For the crêpe batter (makes about twenty crêpes):

600 ml of milk
280g of flour
50 g butter + extra for cooking the crepe
40 g of sugar
5 eggs
1 pinch of salt
a dash of limoncello (facultatif)
zest of a citrus fruit (lemon, lime, kaffir lime, Meyer lemon, etc.)

For the citrus cream:

250g of mascarpone
30cl single cream (30% fat)
70g icing sugar
Citrus zest of your choice: kaffir lime, lemon, lime, citron, Meyer lemon…
2 tablespoons of the citrus juice

Start by preparing the crêpe batter by mixing together the sifted flour, sugar and salt. Add the eggs one at a time, then the melted butter. Gradually stir in the milk to prevent lumps from forming. Add the citrus zest and liqueur. Leave the batter to rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature.
Cook the crêpes and leave them to cool completely.
For the citrus cream: in a bowl, beat the mascarpone to soften it, then add the icing sugar, citrus zest and juice.
Meanwhile, whip the cream and gently fold it into the mascarpone and citrus mixture. Set aside a little cream for the final decoration.
Assemble the crêpe cake: on a round serving dish, lay out the first crêpe, spread a thin layer of citrus cream on top, cover with another crêpe, and repeat until all the ingredients are used up.
For a perfect shape and neat edges, place a smaller ring mould on top of the cake and trim off the excess, jagged edges of the crêpes. Cover with a layer of cream, smoothing the top and sides.
Leave to set in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Before serving, decorate the cake with fine citrus zest. Before serving, decorate the cake with fine citrus zest. And to add a touch of freshness, you can add segments of fresh citrus fruit. It’s currently the season for Wekiwa tangelos, a citrus fruit related to the pomelo with sweet, orangey notes and a very fragrant aroma.

For an even more indulgent version, you can dissolve a little marmalade in hot water in a saucepan to make it more runny. Wait for it to cool, then use it as a coulis to glaze your crêpe cake.

Enjoy, and happy Candlemas!