Crepe Cake with Hazelnut Meringue and Ganache

Ingredients:

Crepe Cake topped with Hazelnut Meringue, Ganache, and Macadamia Nuts

First and foremost, this isn't a very easy recipe. It's time consuming, and a bit difficult to get to turn out. Luckily, even when it doesn't look very attractive it still looks nicer than most deserts, and people won't know the difference. Secondly, it will be pretty difficult without a standing mixer.

So, this is done in several steps. I'll go in chronological order. And, as with most of my recipes, I'll be making a double batch so the pictures will have more than the recipe states.

First, you need to make some crepe mix. For this, you'll need:
3/4 cup(1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups whole milk, room temperature
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Cut your butter into pat sizes.

Step 1:

Boil 1/4 cup water, and add butter, one pat at a time, whisking it all together. Keep your heat low, so it doesn't bubble up really quick and boil over.

Step 2:

Turn of the heat, or move the pan if you're using an electric stovetop. Stir in your chocolate and whisk:

Step 3:

Now, in one bowl, whisk together your flour, sugar and salt.

Step 4:

In another, whisk together your eggs, milk and vanilla.

Step 5:

Now slowly combine these two mixtures.

Step 6:

Then whisk your chocolate mix in.

Step 7:

Once this is mixed together, you're going to need to make sure your mixture is completely lump free. This is because crepes are very thin, so the best way I've found is to put a strainer over a bowl, and ladle the mixture into it.

Cover the mix, and stick in the fridge for a few hours.

Step 8:

Spend this time making your hazelnut meringue. You'll need:
2/3 cup heavy cream
6 egg whites
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted but not hot
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Hazelnut coffee creamer
pinch of salt

Put your cream into your mixer, and whisk until stiff.

Stick that in your fridge while you do the next few steps.

Step 9:

Put your mixer bowl into a large pot of simmering water, and whisk together your sugar and egg whites for about 3 minutes. If you're afraid of raw eggs, make sure that they're heated to 160F.

Step 10:

Attach that bowl to your mixer and whisk on high for about 5 minutes, until it's somewhat stiff. Switch to your paddle attachment, and with the mixer on low, slowly add your butter, vanilla, salt and creamer. Mix for another 5 minutes, then fold in your whipped cream.

Stick that in the fridge until it's ready to use.

Step 11:

You've probably got some time to kill, so let's carmelize some macadamia nuts for the top of the cake! You can use hazelnuts, but it's much cheaper and easier to find macadamias. You'll need:
- a jar of macadamia nuts
- 1 cup sugar
- wooden skewers

Take your nuts, and gently skewer the nut. You don't need to go in very far, just far enough to hold the nut. They are pretty soft, so you probably won't waste too many.

Step 12:

Cook your sugar with 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, until it boils. Stop stirring, and let it boil until it becomes light brown, about 4 or 5 minutes.

Step 13:

Let is sit about 8 minutes, until it has firmed up a bit.

Step 14:

Then dip a nut in. Swirl it around until it's covered, and then let the excess drip off. When it becomes a thin string, set it on the edge of your counter with something weighing the other end of the skewer. Have some cookie sheets of paper towels on the floor to catch the drips.

Let them harden completely. You might need to let them harden, the re-dip for thicker strands. You can warm your sugar back up for a minute over low heat if it becomes too hard.

Step 15:

By now, you should be ready to make some crepes. Now, if you haven't made crepes, be ready to be frustrated. The general rule is that the first few won't turn out. By the end, you'll be a pro, but don't get frustrated.

Heat a small skillet over medium flame, (or a griddle if you're making a million like I was), and run a stick of butter over the surface to slick it. Add about 2 tablespoons of batter, and you might need to angle your skillet to coat it. Cook for about 30 seconds, until it's starting to bubble up. Flip it, and cook for another 30 seconds, and remove. Every few crepes, rebutter. This happens so quick, that I couldn't get a good picture of making them.

Step 16:

Using 2 spatulas to work it up is helpful, and if your skillet is small and doesn't have high sides, you might find it useful to slide it to the edge and get a corner hanging off and onto your spatula. You also might find it useful to set the spatula on top of the crepe, and actually just turn your skillet over so that the crepe falls onto the spatula. Again, this can get frustrating, so have some patience.

If you're using a griddle, two spatulas are truly needed. By the end, I was doing 6 crepes at a time. Just don't let them fold over onto each other when you flip them, or you'll have a hell of a time unflipping them. Also, if your skillet is non-stick, the less butter the better. Spraying your spatulas with Pam also helps.

Step 17:

When your crepes are all done, it's the right time to make your chocolate ganache. You'll need:
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp light corn syrup
pinch of salt
10 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (I like Ghiradelli for this)

Bring your cream, syrup and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn off your heat, and add your chocolate, and swish around so that it's all covered. Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk together.

Step 18:

Now, get your plate or whatever you're going to serve this on. Start layering your cake. A crepe, then a thin layer of the hazelnut meringue.

Step 19:

It might start to lean or slide. If so, stick a skewer down the middle to help it retain it's form. I like somewhat rough edges, but if you're anal you can use a small pair of scissors to make the edges more smooth, instead of rough. Depending on your crepe size, you can make one large cake or two small ones. I prefer two small cakes, just for aesthetic purposes. Once it's the size you want, take your now slightly cooled ganache and slowly spoon bits over the top. This will harden into a shell. I found it easier to use a small amount, then stick the cake in the freezer for a few minutes, then do another layer. You'll want it pretty thick.

You'll probably need to take a damp dishtowel and clean the edges of your plate where the melted chocolate has pooled. If you really want to be clean and perfect, you can place a piece of wax paper the size of the cake onto a wire rack, and drizzle the chocolate over it that way, then move the cake to the serving dish.

Step 20:

Top with your candied nuts, and stick in the fridge until the shell hardens.

Enjoy the Crepe Cake topped with Hazelnut Meringue, Ganache, and Macadamia Nuts

You can loosely cover the cake and make it 2 days ahead of time, if you want.