serves
10-12
prep
15 minutes
cook
25 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
10-12
people
preparation
15
minutes
cooking
25
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
"Crepe cake is kinda like a sweet lasagna. It’s just layers of crepe and filling and crepe and filling and crepe and filling. It is so tasty and delicious," says Mary.
Ingredients
Lemon curd
- 1 lemon, zested (about 2 tsp)
- 90 ml (⅓ cup + 2 tsp) lemon juice
- 75 g (¼ cup + 1½ tbsp) sugar
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 2 eggs
- 28 g (1½ tbsp) unsalted butter, cut into pats
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- 45 g white chocolate, chopped
Crepes and garnish
- 1½ cups (375 ml) buttermilk
- 1½ cups (375 ml) water
- 4 eggs
- 2 lemons, zested
- 3 tsp vanilla extract, divided
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1½ tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for cooking, if needed
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 2 ½ cups (337 g) all-purpose flour
- 125 g brick cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup (35 g) icing sugar
- 2 cups (500 ml) 35% cream
- 1 cup (150 g) halved strawberries
- ¼ cup (30 g) sliced almonds, toasted
Chilling time: 1 hour 30 minutes.
Instructions
- For the lemon curd, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, salt and eggs in a medium heat-proof bowl. Place the mixture over a pot of gently simmering water. Whisk frequently, until the curd coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the butter a pat at a time. Remove from heat, stir in the almond extract and white chocolate, until melted. Cover the surface of the curd with plastic and transfer to the fridge to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the crepes by combining the buttermilk, water, eggs, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, almond extract, melted butter, sugar and salt in a blender and blitzing to combine. Add the flour and blitz again until smooth. Set the crepe batter in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours to rest.
- Once the batter has rested, heat a 23 cm (9 inch) non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pour about 1/3 cup of batter into the pan and quickly swirl the batter around so that it coats the bottom of the pan. Allow the crepe to cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute on the first side, flip and cook for another 15 to 30 seconds or until lightly golden. Transfer the crepe to a baking pan and continue with remaining batter, adding a small amount of butter to the pan between crepes if they’re sticking. Allow the crepes to cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese and icing sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer. Add in remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and gradually beat in the cream. Whip on high until stiff.
- To assemble, lay one of the crepes onto a serving plate and add a heaping ¼ cup of cream mixture onto the crepe and spread evenly. Top with another crepe and spread with 2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon curd. Continue layering, alternating fillings until all of the crepes are used. Wrap cake with plastic wrap and transfer the cake as well as any remaining cream and curd to the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to two days to set up.
- When ready to serve, peel away the plastic and dollop, spread, or pipe the remaining cream and/or curd overtop and decorate with halved strawberries and toasted almonds.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
"Crepe cake is kinda like a sweet lasagna. It’s just layers of crepe and filling and crepe and filling and crepe and filling. It is so tasty and delicious," says Mary.