I decided to challenge this mille crepe cake that is oh-so-popular in a facebook baking group.
All these while, we got our Mille Crepe fix from Food Foundry, Section 17. There was once during my confinement where hubby drove all the way there and brought back a few slices for me just because I was craving for it! (Yeah, craving starts during confinement month for me!)
I also bought it once for a birthday party where I requested for 4 different flavours of the cake to be assembled into one whole cake.
So on Wednesday night, I started this super tedious cake.
First, I decided to fry the crepe layers first and keep it chilled overnight in the fridge. Started at 11pm and finally finished everything at 1am. One recipe yields about 15-16 layers, taking into account the ruined ones.
On Thursday, (its easier to jot down using timeline)
5pm: I used Wendy's recipe for the pastry cream. Did one portion of it and kept in the fridge.
11pm: I started work frying crepes again figuring the 15 layers of crepe wouldn't be enough.
12am: Halfway through frying, I decided that I would start assembling it. So I whipped up some cream and fold it into the pastry cream, divide each layers into 50gm of fillings and assembled 3 layers.
1am: I realised one batch of pastry cream isn't enough and I did up another batch.
1.30am: I finish frying my second batch of crepes and then clean up, waiting for the pastry cream to be chilled enough to fold into the whipped cream. (Sat down to type this post)
2.30am: Finally DONE!
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Vanilla Mille Crepe
**For a 22cm Frying Pan
For the crepes:
(Adapted from: Alvina Chua)
200gm Whole Eggs
40gm Castor Sugar
140gm Low Protein Flour
700gm Full Cream Fresh Milk
100gm Salted Butter
1. In a pot, cook milk and butter under low heat until butter almost melted. Remove from heat.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the castor sugar and whole eggs till combined.
3. Sieve in flour and mix till no lumps.
4. Slowly mix in the warm milk and butter mixture into the eggs mixture.
5. Cover the crepe batter with a cling film and rest for 15 minutes before proceeding.
(I stand my first batch for 15 minutes before frying. Second batch for a few hours in the fridge.)
Frying the crepes:
I use a non stick pan and did the first crepe as my test batch. I did not grease the pan at all. After the first crepe, turn the heat to low(about 140c). The pan should be oily enough after the 1st crepe.
Pour in 1/3 cup of the batter and quickly swirl the pan for the batter to distribute evenly and quickly pour out any excess batter. (I find that its still too thick with 1/3 cup of batter but then its the least batter I could manage)
Use very low heat (I use 120c on my induction and fry for 3-4 minutes for one side and another 1 minute on the other side) and fry until the crepe turns solid and can be flipped easily.
I run the edge with a silicon spatula and then lift it up a little with the spatula and quickly use my fingers to flip it.
Separate the fried crepes with pieces of wax paper/greaseproof paper/baking paper.
The crepes are not supposed to be brown so when its cook enough, it can be remove from the pan.
Don't worry if your crepe turns out crispy, it will turn soft after u spread the filling.
If you would like to store the crepes in the fridge, make sure you keep them in an airtight container. I put them on a cake board and wrap it with a few layers of cling film.
For the Vanilla Filling:
(Pastry Cream Recipe Adapted from: Wendyinkk)
6 egg yolks
70gm Sugar
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
300ml Whipping Cream
Vanilla Beans scraped from one whole vanilla pod
1. Prepare an ice bath, with a clean metal bowl in it.
2. Using a stand mixer, whip egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy.
2. Add in cornstarch and mix well under low speed. Scrape the bowl.
3. Meanwhile, heat the cream and the vanilla beans in a pot until bubbles start to appear at the sides.
4. Slowly pour in the heated cream into the yolks. Keep your mixer running at low speed. If not, the eggs would cook and curdle.
5. Transfer everything back to the pot and heat it again under low heat while whisking with a hand whisk all the time.
6. Once the mixture starts to boil, turn off heat immediately, keep stirring and transfer them into the clean metal bowl soaked in ice water prepared earlier. Continue stirring for a little while to stop the cooking process.
7. Chill the pastry cream in the fridge, cover with cling film touching the surface of the pastry cream.
250ml Whipping cream
25gm Castor Sugar
1 tsp Gelatin
1 Tbsp Water
To assemble:
1. Freeze the beaters and mixing bowl for 10 minutes before starting.
2. Sprinkle gelatin over water and let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Fill a bowl with boiling hot water, soak the bowl of gelatin mixture into the hot water, keep stirring till gelatin dissolve. Remove from hot water and leave to cool.
4. Using a stand mixer, whip the cream under medium speed till thickens then add in castor sugar.
5. Continue whipping till soft peaks then slowly pour in gelatin.
6. Whip till stiff peaks. Chill the whipped cream in the fridge for 30 minutes before proceeding.
To assemble:
Go through your crepes and pick one to be the top. I still use mine if there were some holes in the middle but not those with a big tear.Count and note how many layers your are going to make so that you will not run short of cream or crepes.
Fold the pastry cream into the whipped cream until well combined.
Divide it into 50gm portions and put it back to the fridge. (I separate it into 5 portions of 50gm then put the whole bowl back to the fridge)
Start by spreading one portion of fillings on a crepe. (I prefer my sides to be bare. I find it nicer)
Layer with a piece of crepe and repeat until done.
During the process, if you find the fillings a bit runny, put the whole cake and the filling into the freezer for a while before continuing.
Chill the cake in the fridge overnight before serving.
Use a very sharp knife to cut into pieces and serve immediately.
Fold the pastry cream into the whipped cream until well combined.
Divide it into 50gm portions and put it back to the fridge. (I separate it into 5 portions of 50gm then put the whole bowl back to the fridge)
Start by spreading one portion of fillings on a crepe. (I prefer my sides to be bare. I find it nicer)
Layer with a piece of crepe and repeat until done.
During the process, if you find the fillings a bit runny, put the whole cake and the filling into the freezer for a while before continuing.
Chill the cake in the fridge overnight before serving.
Use a very sharp knife to cut into pieces and serve immediately.
