The fanciest cake of them all! Or that’s how it looks, right? The beauty of this dessert is that if you know how to make pancakes, you can make a stunning finish to a meal.  I layered mine with salted caramel sauce, mascarpone cheese, and homemade cinnamon pear puree, but any of your favorite fillings will do.  Imagine how delicious nutella, smashed bananas, and finely chopped walnuts would be, or a simple crepe cake filled with whipped cream, coffee syrup, and shaved chocolate? There are so many directions to take this versatile, impressive looking cake, so have fun with it!

INGREDIENTS (CREPE CAKE)

20 simple crepes (recipe below)

1 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

1 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce (recipe below)

1 1/2 cup cinnamon pear puree (recipe below)

2 tablespoons baker’s sugar (or superfine sugar)

DIRECTIONS

Place a crepe on a cake platter, spread about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the mascarpone over the crepe.  Top with another crepe, and spread with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the salted caramel sauce.  Top that with another crepe, and spread with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the cinnamon pear puree. Repeat this process until you’ve layered 20 crepes.

Pop the crepe cake in the fridge for at least 3 hours (preferably overnight) to set.  When ready to serve, remove from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for about 20 minutes to take the chill off. Sprinkle the top with baker’s sugar and using a butane torch, carefully caramelize the sugar by holding the flame over the crepe cake and passing slowly over it in a circular motion.  The sugar will bubble and turn deep brown.  I love it when there are some extra dark, burnt spots, so don’t worry if you have some dark spots.  Serve shortly after (the sugar will harden). Make sure to serve the cake within a few hours of caramelizing with sugar on top, as the sugar will weep after a while.

INGREDIENTS (SIMPLE CREPES)

Makes about 25 crepes

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 1/2 cups whole milk

12 large eggs

5 ounces unsalted butter, browned

DIRECTIONS (SIMPLE CREPES)

Pop all of the ingredients in a large bowl and blend together thoroughly. If at all lumpy, strain.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Lightly coat or spray with vegetable oil and ladle a scoop of the batter into the center of the pan.  Tilt the pan, rotating in a circle, to spread the entire crepe out.  It should be about 9 inches wide and very thin.  Cook for about a minute per side, or until golden brown.  Set aside on a plate, and cook the remaining batter until you have about 20 crepes.

INGREDIENTS (SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE)

Makes 2 cups

1 cup white sugar

4 ounces unsalted butter

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS (SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE)

Heat the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, until the sugar turns golden.  Stir until all of the sugar is dissolved and just starting to turn a lovely amber color.

Turn heat to low, add the butter, and stir to combine.  Careful, it’ll foam up. Then add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt stirring to combine.  You’ll cook the sauce for about 5-10 minutes, until it comes together. It’ll take quite a bit of stirring!

Pour the caramel into a glass jar, let it come to room temperature, and store in the fridge for up to two weeks.  Pour over everything and anything!

INGREDIENTS (CINNAMON PEAR PUREE)

Yields 1 cup

2 16-ounce cans of pears in light syrup

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

DIRECTIONS (CINNAMON PEAR PUREE)

Puree the pears and their juices in a food processor or blender.  In a medium pot over medium-high heat, combine the pear puree with lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, until thickened and reduced slightly. Cool to room temperature and store in a sanitized jar for up to a month.