Yield: 1 (8-inch) cake
Ingredients:
Crepes
½ cup (120 ml) butter
8 eggs
½ cup (120 ml) sugar
1/8 teaspoon (.75 ml) salt
3 cups (710 ml) milk
3 tablespoons (45 ml) coffee liqueur
3 tablespoons (45 ml) twice-brewed espresso
2 cups (470 ml) flour
Filling
2.2 pounds (1 kg) mascarpone
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
½ cup (120 ml) icing sugar
½ cup (120 ml) espresso
2 tablespoons (30 ml) espresso powder
2 tablespoons (30 ml) brandy
2 cups (470 ml) heavy cream
To assemble:
Crepes, Filling, additional cocoa powder, espresso powder, and chocolate shavings
Method:
Let’s get baking!
Make the batter. Melt the butter in a small pot over low heat and continue to cook 5-6 minutes, until starting to brown.
Remove from heat, pour into a bowl to stop the cooking and let cool.
In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, then add the cooled browned butter and continue whisking to combine,
Whisk the sugar and the salt into the brown butter-egg mixture, mixing until uniform.
Now whisk in the milk, then the coffee liqueur and espresso.
Sift in the flour and whisk until it is just incorporated and a thin crepe batter has formed.
Heat a crepe pan over low heat and lightly oil.
Use a 2-ounce (60 ml) ladle to pour in the crepe batter, tilting the pan to make a thin even layer.
Cook 1-2 minutes, until the crepe starts to lift up at the edges and bubble in the center, then flip carefully.
When finished cooking on both sides, transfer to a plate.
Repeat until all batter is used up (about 20-25 crepes). Cool and reserve.
Meanwhile, make the filling. Use a medium bowl to combine the mascarpone, salt, and icing sugar. Whip with a hand mixer or whisk until uniform.
Mix in the espresso, espresso powder, and brandy, whipping until well incorporated.
In a clean, separate bowl, whip cream 4-5 minutes, until stiff peaks have formed.
Fold the whipped cream into the whipped mascarpone mixture.
Refrigerate if not using right away. Reserve about 1 cup (240 ml) separately for garnishing the cake.
To assemble, place a crepe on a plate, spread on an 1/8-inch (3 mm) layer of filling, then sprinkle with cocoa powder.
Layer over a second crepe, filling layer, and cocoa dusting, repeating layering until all of the crepes and filling have been used.
Chill the finished cake before serving.
To serve, dust the top of the finished cake with cocoa powder and espresso powder.
Transfer the reserved filling to a piping bag and pipe on rosettes.
Finish with chocolate shavings and serve immediately.
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