1 h 15 min
Crème Brûlée Vanilla Mille-Crêpes Cake
The mille-crêpes cake is an elegant French-inspired dessert born in Japan, made with layers of crêpes and cream. In our version, we’ve given this modern pâtisserie favorite an indulgent French twist, inspired by the irresistible caramelised topping of a classic crème brûlée.
A mille-crêpes cake is a layered dessert made by stacking multiple thin crêpes with a creamy filling between each layer. The name literally means “a thousand crêpes”, much like mille-feuille – the classic French pastry made from layers of puff pastry and cream. Rather than using pastry, a mille-crêpes cake uses classic French crêpes to create a tall, layered dessert with a light and tender texture. While its inspiration comes from French pastry, the modern mille-crêpes cake is closely associated with Japan, where it was born and became a popular pâtisserie-style dessert.
In this version, the layers are filled with vanilla diplomat cream and finished with caramelised sugar for a crème brûlée-inspired twist. The recipe also brings together a few carefully selected French ingredients: French butter gives the crêpes a rich, delicate flavor and helps them develop lightly golden edges, while French whipping cream brings richness and a smooth, airy texture to the diplomat cream. Tahitian Vanilla from French Polynesia adds delicate floral and fruity aromas to the filling.
The beauty of a mille-crêpes cake is how easily it can be adapted to create your own combination of flavors. Add French strawberries between the layers for a fresh and fruity contrast, swirl through salted butter caramel from Brittany for a richer version, or flavor the cream with matcha for a Japanese-inspired “mix and match” twist. You can also experiment with chocolate, chestnut cream or citrus for a delicious nod to the classic crêpes Suzette. The mille-crêpes cake is the perfect recipe to unleash your creativity and celebrate La Chandeleur with a spectacular twist on the beloved French crêpe. Bon appétit!
Preparation time
45 min
Ingredients For
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For approximately 16 crêpes:
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2 cups
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2 cups
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x 3
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1.50 tbsp
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1 pinch
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For the vanilla diplomat cream:
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2 cups
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x 4
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0.50 cup
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5 tbsp
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1 cup (very cold)
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For the brûlée topping:
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5 tbsp
Preparation
1
Prepare the crêpes: Mix the flour, sugar and salt. Add the eggs, then gradually whisk in the milk to prevent lumps from forming. Stir in the melted butter and leave the batter to rest for 30 minutes. Cook the crêpes in a lightly buttered frying pan, then leave them to cool.
2
Prepare the pastry cream: Split the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Bring the milk, vanilla seeds and pod to a gentle simmer. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale, then whisk in the cornstarch. Gradually pour the hot milk over the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously until thickened. Cover with cling film pressed directly onto the surface and leave to cool completely.
3
Prepare the diplomat cream: Whip the very cold whipping cream to soft peaks. Whisk the cooled pastry cream until smooth, then gently fold in the whipped cream until you have a light, smooth diplomat cream.
4
Assemble the cake: Layer the crêpes, spreading a generous layer of diplomat cream between each one. Finish with a crêpe on top, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
5
Brûlée the top: Just before serving, generously sprinkle the cake with granulated sugar. Use a blowtorch to caramelise the sugar until it forms a thin, golden, crisp crust, just like a classic crème brûlée.
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