Mille Crêpe, also known as Gâteau de Crêpe, is a multi-layered cake made out of crêpes. I spread layers of butterscotch buttercream in between each crêpe and topped the cake with thinly-sliced candied apples. This is quite time-consuming to make in miniature versions, but you can always make large crêpes and cut the cake into slices as you would with regular buttercream cakes.
I made the cake in honor of La chandeleur (Candlemas), which is celebrated on February 2nd. It’s originally a Christian tradition that celebrates the presentation of Jesus at the Temple and also marks the end of the Epiphany season (Kings’ galettes are made). I don’t exactly know how crêpes became part of the French celebration of La Chandeleur, but I do know that they are an integral part of the festivities. There is a legend that says that on the day of La Chandeleur, if you’re able to flip a crêpe and make it land properly (without it being wrinkled) in the pan without dropping it on the floor, you’ll have a prosperous year. Originally, prosperity referred to a bumper crop of grain, but with fewer and fewer people farming for a living, over time it’s come to imply general wealth. In a way it’s an enduring testament to the agrarian culture of yore. That culture has survived in other ways too; in fact the saying avoir beaucoup de blé, which literally means ”To have a lot of wheat”, is slang for ”being wealthy”.
If you want to practice, prepare the crêpe batter a couple of days in advance, cook a few, and try to flip them. It may not fill your pocketbook, but it’s a great way to fill your tummy.
1. Info for Crepe Cake with Butterscotch Cream
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Servings: 6
- Calories: 262
2. Ingredients for Crepe Cake with Butterscotch Cream
- crêpe batter
- 2 Fuji apples
- juice of a lemon, freshly squeezed
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1- ½ sticks), + extra for greasing the pan
- 4 ounces butterscotch baking morsels, 3/4 cup
- 1 teaspoon imitation rum extract (see tips)
- 1/3 cup heavy cream, cold
3. Directions:
- Grease a hot crêpe pan or any flat pan (I used a mini egg fry pan) with about ½ to 1 teaspoon of melted butter using a silicone brush. Add about 2-3 tablespoons of the batter in the center of the pan. Lift the pan, then tilt and rotate it until the batter is evenly spread and forms a nice thin disk. Place it back on the stove. It should start bubbling after a few seconds. Leave it alone, don’t touch it!
- The crêpe batter should cook for about a minute before it’s time to flip. When the edges look dry and start separating from the pan, take a small angled spatula and lift around the crêpe. Flip the crêpe and cook the other side for another 30 seconds. Repeat until all the batter is used. Set aside.
- Always make sure the beater blades are completely clean prior to whipping cream for optimum results. The whipping cream should be whipped cold. Whisk the heavy cream for about 2 minutes at low speed. Add 1/3 cup of powdered sugar; increase the speed of your mixer and keep beating for another 2-3 minutes until it forms soft peaks. Do not over-beat or the texture will become grainy. Reserve the whipped cream in a bowl and chill it in the refrigerator.
- For the butterscotch morsels, place a pot filled with hot water (at a gentle simmer), topped with a piece of cloth so the bowl does not move and place a stainless-steel bowl filled with the butterscotch chips on top. Stir until melted (see tips). Turn off the heat. Another option is to heat the butterscotch for 20-30 seconds in the microwave. Watch the butterscotch carefully; it could burn easily in the microwave!
- The butter should be at room temperature. In a bowl, cream the butter with 1/3 cup of powdered sugar. Add the melted butterscotch and rum extract (1 teaspoon).
- Using a silicone spatula, gently fold in the chilled whipped cream into the butterscotch mixture to get an airy cream. Set aside.
- Mix the rest of the powdered sugar with ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
- Peel, core and thinly slice the apples. Coat them with lemon juice to prevent them from browning. On a sheet of parchment paper, draw 5-inch diameter circles the same size as the crêpe rounds with a pencil. Flip the sheet of paper and line a baking sheet with it. Brush with a thin layer of oil. Fill the circles with the apples forming a pretty flower shape by fanning the slices. Dust the top with the cinnamon and powdered sugar mix. Let stand for about 5 minutes and sprinkle one more time with the cinnamon mixture. Place the tray in the oven and broil for about 7 minutes (depending on your oven). Allow to cool.
- Line up the individual serving plates.
- Place a crêpe on a plate. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of butterscotch cream and spread the filling onto the crêpe , using an icing spatula, stopping ½ inch from the edge of the crêpe (the filling will spread eventually). Place another crêpe on top and gently press to make the filling visible. Repeat until 7 other layers of crêpe are stacked. Move on to the next plates, repeating the same procedure.
- Once the apple slices are cool enough to handle, transfer to the top of the crêpes using a flat spatula. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
- Serve at room temperature.
- Bon appétit!
