Description
Marie’s classic French Mille Crepe Cake weaves delicate layers of thin crepes into a dreamy dessert that melts smoothly across your palate. Silky pastry cream nestled between golden crepes creates an elegant treat perfect for special celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 6 large eggs
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 6 large egg yolks
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
Finishing Ingredients:
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Sift the flour, sugar, and salt into a spacious mixing bowl, ensuring a uniform blend without any lumpy sections.
- Whisk milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a separate container until the mixture appears smooth and fully integrated.
- Gradually stream the liquid ingredients into the dry mixture, stirring constantly to create a silky, lump-free batter.
- Refrigerate the batter for 30-120 minutes, allowing the gluten to relax and the ingredients to meld.
- Heat an 8-inch non-stick skillet over medium temperature (around 350°F), lightly coating the surface with cooking spray.
- Pour exactly ¼ cup of batter into the heated pan, quickly rotating to spread a thin, even layer that covers the entire surface.
- Cook each crepe for 1-2 minutes until the edges lift slightly and the bottom turns golden brown.
- Flip the crepe carefully and cook an additional 30-60 seconds on the reverse side.
- Transfer each finished crepe to a parchment-lined plate, stacking with protective paper between layers.
- Combine milk and vanilla bean in a saucepan, heating until it reaches a gentle simmer.
- Remove the milk from heat, cover, and let the vanilla infuse for 30 minutes.
- Whisk 6 egg yolks with ¾ cup sugar until the mixture becomes pale and slightly thickened.
- Incorporate ¼ cup cornstarch into the egg mixture, mixing until completely smooth.
- Slowly stream ½ cup of hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking vigorously to prevent scrambling.
- Return the tempered mixture to the saucepan, cooking over medium heat and stirring constantly.
- Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes after the mixture reaches a boil, ensuring the cornstarch is fully cooked.
- Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of butter and additional vanilla extract.
- Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Optional: Whip ¼ cup heavy cream to soft peaks and fold gently into the cooled pastry cream.
- Place the first crepe on a serving plate and spread a thin layer of pastry cream.
- Continue layering crepes and cream, ensuring each layer is evenly distributed.
- Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-12 hours to set.
- Before serving, dust the top generously with powdered sugar.
- Slice into wedges using a sharp knife and serve immediately.
Notes
- Let the crepe batter rest in the refrigerator to help the gluten relax, ensuring tender and thin crepes that won’t tear easily.
- When cooking crepes, use a non-stick pan and control the heat to prevent burning, tilting the pan quickly to spread batter evenly.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend or almond flour, which adds a subtle nutty flavor.
- Whip the pastry cream carefully and avoid overbeating to maintain a smooth, silky texture that spreads beautifully between crepe layers.
- Prep Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 337 kcal
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 95 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 170 mg