Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Calphalon. All opinions are my own.
I really love crepes! I took my love for crepes and made them into a beautiful Crepe Cake. This Lemon Blackberry Cheesecake Crepe Cake has layers of thin delicate crepes, lemon curd cream cheese, and fresh blackberry compote. Such a great end of summer dessert.
What are crepes?
Crepes are a thin battered delicate pancake that are typically rolled or folded with a variety of fillings. They originated in western France, during the 13th century.
Crepes differ from typical American pancakes in that they don’t contain a leavening agent that would cause the batter to rise. They stay completely flat.
What is a crepe cake?
A crepe cake is a classic French “cake’’ consisting of many layers of thin crepes. Each crepe is separated by some type of spread of filling. It was originally called a “mille feuille cake” by the modern creator, Japanese pastry chef, Emy Wada. The word mille feuille means “a thousand sheets, or layers.” Which is why there are so many layers of crepes.
Emy began selling different flavored crepe cakes at her pastry shop, Paper Moon Cake Boutique in the 1980s. According to The Manila Times, Emy created the modern crepe cake to preserve the freshness of crepes. Crepes tend to dry out quickly because of their thinness. Stacking them in layers in with different fillings in between preserves the texture of the crepes.
How are the crepes made?
The crepes are made by combining flour, sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla extract and melted butter in a blender. A blender is necessary to make the batter extremely smooth. Let the batter sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or preferably overnight to set.
To cook them, add a small amount of batter to a non-stick pan. Use a crepe spreader to make the, paper thin. The thinner the better. If you don’t have a crepe spreader, you can lift and tilt the pan in a circular motion to spread the batter around the pan. Though, the crepes may not get as thin as using the spreader. Cook for a few seconds on each side and place on a plate until all of the crepes are made. Let them cool completely before making the cake.
For the cake, I used both a lemon cheesecake filling, made of lemon curd, cream cheese and heavy whipping cream, and a blackberry purée. This was made by briefly cooking down fresh blackberries with a small amount of sugar and strained to remove the seeds.
Assemble the cake by placing down one crepe, then spreading a layer of the lemon cheesecake mixture, then adding a bit of the blackberry purée. Repeat these layers until all of the crepes are used. End with the lemon cheesecake filling and garnish with fresh or dried lemon slices.
What was used to make these crepes?
To make crepes, normally you would use a crepe pan, which is specifically designed to make crepe making easier. But, I was able to make delicious, beautiful, delicate crepes in the new and improved Calphalon Premier Nonstick Cookware set!
The crepes were made in the 10 inch Fry Pan from the Calphalon® Premier Nonstick Hard-Anodized Cookware!
Calphalon Premier™ Hard-Anodized Cookware with new MineralShield™ nonstick technology is 5X more durable than the previous generation of Calphalon Classic™ Nonstick Cookware.
Now, you can so many delicate recipes without the worry of any sticking or scratching issues. The durable, 3-layer nonstick interior is tough enough to withstand metal utensils and normal everyday use. And the long handles stay cool on the stovetop even when being used with high heat.
Calphalon’s Premier™ cookware is the perfect set to create all of your delicate dishes!
The set is availabile at Calphalon.com
Commonly Asked Questions:
Can crepe cakes be frozen?
Yes, they can. Make the cake and let it set in the refrigerator. Then wrap the cake in plastic wrap and place into the freezer for up to 2 months.
Does the cake need to be refrigerated?
Crepe cakes need to be refrigerated because of the fillings. And the cake needs to be cold to keep its shape. Otherwise, the layers will slide around.
How many crepes do you need for a crepe cake?
You need 20 to 25 crepes to get it to a good height. You can always use less for a much shorter cake, which would look like the equivalent to a one layer cake.
Here are other delicious layered desserts:
Lemon Blackberry Cheesecake Crepe Cake
This Lemon Blackberry Cheesecake Crepe Cake has layers of thin delicate crepes, lemon curd cream cheese, and fresh blackberry compote. Such a great end of summer dessert.
Ingredients
Lemon Curd
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 6 tbsp butter
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 8oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
Blackberry Purée
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp water
Crêpes
- 3 large eggs
- 2 1/4 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Lemon Curd
- In a small saucepan, place egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch and heavy cream and whisk to combine. Cook on low to medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture becomes thick, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat then strain mixture through a mess strainer. Add butter and lemon zest and whisk until completely melted and incorporated, and mixture is smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature, then place the curd into a container with a lid. Place the container in the refrigerator overnight.
Cream Cheese Filling
- On medium to high speed, using a hand or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add the heavy whipping cream. Continue whipping until the frosting forms stiff peaks.
Blackberry Purée
- Add blackberries, sugar and water to a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes or until the blackberries start to soften. Remove from heat and pour into a blender. Purée until smooth. Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer to remove all of the seeds. Place into a small container. Cool, then place into the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Crepes
- Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until combined and smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. Place the non-stick pan over medium heat and let the pan heat up for about 5 minutes. Lightly coat the pan with melted butter and pour about 1/4 cup of the batter in the center of the pan. Use a crepe spreader to spread the batter around in a circular motion so that the crepes are about 6 in diameter. If you don’t have a crepe spreader, tilt the pan in a circular motion to swirl the batter around. Repeat this with all of the batter until you have 20-25 crepes. Allow the crepes to cool completely before assembling the cake.
- Assembly
- In a bowl place the cream cheese filling. Gently fold in the lemon curd just until it’s incorporated. Set aside. Place one crepe on a serving plate. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the lemon cheesecake filling to the center of the crepe. Use an offset spatula to spread the filling all around the crepe. Add 1-2 teaspoons of the blackberry purée on top of the lemon cheesecake filling and slightly swirl it in. Top with another crepe and repeat the process until all of the crepes are used. Top the final crepe with just the cheesecake filling. Garnish with fresh or dried lemon slices. Place the crepe cake in the refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight to set and firm up before serving.
