Layered Crepe Cake

Method

1. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt into a large mixing bowl and stir in the sugar. Gradually whisk in the milk using a hand or electric whisk (the batter should be the consistency of single cream). Add the butter and whisk again. Leave the batter to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Pour into a jug.

2. To make the praline, put the caster sugar into a pan. Add 3 tablespoons water and set the pan over a medium–low heat to allow the sugar to dissolve slowly, stirring. Bring to the boil and continue to cook until the syrup turns a pale amber colour. Working quickly, tip the almonds and hazelnuts into the pan and continue to cook for 1 minute or until the caramel turns a deeper amber and the nuts are a little toasted.

3. Tip the praline onto a baking tray and leave until completely cold and hardened. Break the praline into chunks. Put into a small plastic bag and secure it. Bash with a rolling pin until coarsely chopped. Alternatively, whizz in a food processor. Whip the cream and add the crushed praline. Set aside.  

4. To make the chocolate ganache, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and stirring occasionally. In a separate small pan, heat the double cream and sugar until it is just about to boil, turn down the heat, stir in the coffee and rum. Remove from heat. Combine with the chocolate. Cover and cool, then put in the freezer for at least 30 minutes until it thickens.

5. Warm a heavy non-stick crêpe pan over a medium–high heat. Use a heatproof pastry brush to sparingly cover the pan with melted butter. Use a small cup to pour in equal amounts of batter for each crêpe, using just enough to coat the base of the pan, then swirl it around to spread the batter to the edges. The crêpes should be as thin as possible. Pour any excess batter back into the cup and then into the mixing bowl.

6. Cook each crêpe for 1 minute or until it is just beginning to go a little crisp at the edges. Flip over and cook for a a further 40–60 seconds. Stack the cooked crêpes on a plate – there is no need to separate them with greaseproof paper. Add a little extra milk if the first crêpes are too thick, and, if the crêpes are not cooking evenly, reduce the heat a little. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter to the pan as necessary. Aim to make about at least 12 crêpes.

7. Put the first crêpe on a serving plate and spread it with a thin layer of chocolate ganache. Add a second crêpe and spread it with a slightly thicker layer of praline cream. Repeat alternating the layers until all the crêpes and the praline cream and chocolate ganache are used up. Chill the pancake gateau in the fridge for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight before serving.

8. Serve it with strawberries on the side in summer, or cherries in rum or kirsch would be fabulous for the winter. For added extravagance, an extra jug of single cream on the side could be proffered, although this is probably an indulgence too far!