Chocolate Crepe Cake(makes about twenty 5-inch crepes or ten 8-inch crepes)This gorgeous cake is simple and delicious. Fun to make as a family project and easy do-ahead steps let you serve a homemade dessert that is festive.This is a perfect recipe and works every time. You may need to try out a couple of crepes until you get the feel of your pan and range. The crepes can be made one day ahead of assembling the cake and can be stored overnight, covered in the refrigerator or frozen for up to one month.You will need one Teflon or non-stick coated crepe panIngredients:-¾ cup flour-¼ cup cocoa powder-2/3 cup cold milk-2/3 cup cold water-3 large eggs-1/4 teaspoon salt-3 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for brushing on panDirections:1. Mix all ingredients until smooth in a blender or with a whisk. Refrigerate at least one hour.2. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Brush with melted butter.3. Pour in 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter into the center of the pan and then tilt the pan in all directions to cover the bottom evenly. Cook about 1 minute, or until browned on the bottom. Turn and cook briefly on the other side.4. Cool on a plate as you finish making the rest. You can stack the crepes-they will not stick together.Chocolate-Vanilla Bean Pastry CreamThis is a basic recipe that you will turn to over and over again. The fragrant, sweet pastry cream can be used as a filling for cakes, éclairs, homemade doughnuts, shortcakes etc…It can also be thinned out and used as a topping for any dairy dessert. This is one those recipes that can be used as a base and adapted. You can: infuse jasmine or your favorite tea into the milk, and add ginger or lemongrass …you get the idea.Oh yeah-this recipe is DAIRY. Please do not try and make it pareve. It is perfect they way it is and will lose all of its integrity, not to mention flavor, if made pareve.Ingredients-2 ¼ cups whole milk-6 egg yolks-2/3 cup sugar-1/3 cup cornstarch-1 vanilla bean split, lengthwise-3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, choppedDirections1. In medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup milk, egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and cornstarch.2. Transfer the remaining 1 3/4 cups milk to heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean and the seed and the pod to the pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup sugar over, letting sugar sink undisturbed to bottom. Add the chopped chocolate. Set pan over moderate heat and bring to simmer without stirring.3. Whisk hot milk mixture, then gradually whisk into egg yolk mixture-this is called tempering. You want to do this slowly or you will have scrambled eggs.4. Return to saucepan over moderate heat and cook, whisking constantly, until pastry cream simmers and thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, discard vanilla pod, and whisk cream until smooth. Transfer to bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Chill until cold, about 4 hours. (Pastry cream can be made ahead and refrigerated, wrapped well with plastic wrap on surface, up to 3 days.)Raspberry FillingUse 1 cup purchased or homemade raspberry preserves. Strain out the seeds using a mesh sieve.Assemble the CakePlace one crepe on a cake plate. Lightly brush the raspberry preserves over the crepe. Spread one tablespoon of pastry cream evenly over the crepe. Layer another crepe on top and continue with preserves and pastry cream until the final crepe has been added. Leave the top plain.Chill the cake for 2 hours or overnight to firm up. Top with fresh whipped cream and berries.Chef Laura Frankel is Executive Chef for Spertus Kosher Catering and author of Jewish Cooking for All Seasons, and Jewish Slow Cooker Recipes.
Chosen Bites: Covered in Chocolate
With Valentine's day quickly approaching, indulge in the ultimate dessert of love with Chef Laura Frankel's chocolate crepes and vanilla bean pastry cream.
Chocolate Crepe Cake(makes about twenty 5-inch crepes or ten 8-inch crepes)This gorgeous cake is simple and delicious. Fun to make as a family project and easy do-ahead steps let you serve a homemade dessert that is festive.This is a perfect recipe and works every time. You may need to try out a couple of crepes until you get the feel of your pan and range. The crepes can be made one day ahead of assembling the cake and can be stored overnight, covered in the refrigerator or frozen for up to one month.You will need one Teflon or non-stick coated crepe panIngredients:-¾ cup flour-¼ cup cocoa powder-2/3 cup cold milk-2/3 cup cold water-3 large eggs-1/4 teaspoon salt-3 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for brushing on panDirections:1. Mix all ingredients until smooth in a blender or with a whisk. Refrigerate at least one hour.2. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Brush with melted butter.3. Pour in 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter into the center of the pan and then tilt the pan in all directions to cover the bottom evenly. Cook about 1 minute, or until browned on the bottom. Turn and cook briefly on the other side.4. Cool on a plate as you finish making the rest. You can stack the crepes-they will not stick together.Chocolate-Vanilla Bean Pastry CreamThis is a basic recipe that you will turn to over and over again. The fragrant, sweet pastry cream can be used as a filling for cakes, éclairs, homemade doughnuts, shortcakes etc…It can also be thinned out and used as a topping for any dairy dessert. This is one those recipes that can be used as a base and adapted. You can: infuse jasmine or your favorite tea into the milk, and add ginger or lemongrass …you get the idea.Oh yeah-this recipe is DAIRY. Please do not try and make it pareve. It is perfect they way it is and will lose all of its integrity, not to mention flavor, if made pareve.Ingredients-2 ¼ cups whole milk-6 egg yolks-2/3 cup sugar-1/3 cup cornstarch-1 vanilla bean split, lengthwise-3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, choppedDirections1. In medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup milk, egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and cornstarch.2. Transfer the remaining 1 3/4 cups milk to heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean and the seed and the pod to the pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup sugar over, letting sugar sink undisturbed to bottom. Add the chopped chocolate. Set pan over moderate heat and bring to simmer without stirring.3. Whisk hot milk mixture, then gradually whisk into egg yolk mixture-this is called tempering. You want to do this slowly or you will have scrambled eggs.4. Return to saucepan over moderate heat and cook, whisking constantly, until pastry cream simmers and thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, discard vanilla pod, and whisk cream until smooth. Transfer to bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Chill until cold, about 4 hours. (Pastry cream can be made ahead and refrigerated, wrapped well with plastic wrap on surface, up to 3 days.)Raspberry FillingUse 1 cup purchased or homemade raspberry preserves. Strain out the seeds using a mesh sieve.Assemble the CakePlace one crepe on a cake plate. Lightly brush the raspberry preserves over the crepe. Spread one tablespoon of pastry cream evenly over the crepe. Layer another crepe on top and continue with preserves and pastry cream until the final crepe has been added. Leave the top plain.Chill the cake for 2 hours or overnight to firm up. Top with fresh whipped cream and berries.Chef Laura Frankel is Executive Chef for Spertus Kosher Catering and author of Jewish Cooking for All Seasons, and Jewish Slow Cooker Recipes.