Chocolate Crepe Strawberry Layers Cake
Indulge in the "Chocolate Crepe Strawberry Layers Cake," a chocolate lover's paradise. This decadent treat features 25 layers of chocolate crepes enveloping a rich chocolate mousse. Its crowning jewel is a delicate layer of strawberry jello, adding a sweet surprise. With an intense chocolate flavor, this cake is a must for chocolate enthusiasts.
Equipment
- 1 Round 8 inch mousse ring
- 1 Cake turntable
- 1 Sifter
- 1 Sauce pan
- 1 Non-stick frying pan 9-10 inch
- 1 L-shaped spatula
- 1 Electric mixer
Ingredients
Chocolate Crepes 20-23 pcs
- 30 g Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1110 g Milk
- 9 pcs Egg
- 360 g Cake flour
- 135 g Sugar
- 1 g Salt
Strawberry jello
- 66 g Strawberry paste
- 180 g Frozen strawberry
- 36 g Sugar
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 9 g Gelatin powder
- 45 g Water
Chocolate Mousse
- 534 g Chocolate
- 24.8 g Unsalted butter
- 7 pcs Egg yolk
- 356 g Heavy whipping cream
- 7 pcs Egg white
- 6 g Gelatin powder
- 30 g Water
Cake decoration optional – Ganache whipping cream topping
- 155 g Heavy whipping cream
- 35 g Dark chocolate
- 1 g Gelatin powder
- 5 g Water
Instructions
For the chocolate crepe batter:
- In a small pan, warm the milk until steaming, remove from heat, add chocolate melting and set aside to allow to cool slightly
- In a large bowl using your electric mixer a low speed, mix together the eggs, flour, sugar, and salt. Slowly add in the warm chocolate milk and melted butter.
- Pour the batter into a tightly-sealed container to refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight.)
To make the crepes:
- Remove the prepared crepe batter from refrigerator and bring to room temperature
- Prepare some sheets of parchment paper for cooling the finished crepes.
- Using a nonstick pan over medium-low heat, pour approximately one ladle of the crepe batter into the pan, and swirl it to evenly cover the pan's surface. Cook for about 1 minute, or until the bottom of the crepe turns a light brown. Use a spatula to lift the edge, and then carefully turn the crepe over using clean fingers. Cook for an additional 15-20 seconds, and then transfer the cooked crepe to a piece of parchment paper to cool.
- Repeat this process until you have 20 perfect crepes.
To make strawberry jello:
- Prepare an 8-inch mousse ring. Line the bottom with plastic wrap, pulling it tightly like a drumhead. Place the plastic wrap side down on a baking sheet and set it aside.
- You can either purchase strawberry paste or make it by blending frozen strawberries and weighing it according to the specified quantity.
- Mix gelatin powder with water, stir well, and let it sit for at least 10 minutes.
- In a small pot, combine sugar and lemon juice. Allow them to meld together for a moment.
- In a saucepan, heat the strawberry paste and frozen strawberries until they reach a temperature of 30-40 ℃ (approximately the level of thawing and defrosting). Add the gelatin mixture and whisk it until it comes to a boil. Then, add the rehydrated gelatin and stir until well combined.
- Cool the mixture by placing it over ice or allowing it to cool to 50 ℃ (ensure it's not smoking hot). Pour the mixture into the prepared mousse ring and freeze for at least 2 hours until it solidifies.
To make chocolate mousse:
- Mix gelatin powder with water, stirring thoroughly, and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Then, heat it over simmering water until fully melted, and set it aside
- Place the dark chocolate and butter in the microwave, melting them until they reach 35℃, or heat them over a water bath until fully melted.
- Add the egg yolk and mix it in well.
- Whip the fresh cream until it reaches a consistency of 60%, then add it and stir it in evenly.
- Whip the egg whites until they reach a consistency of 60%, then fold them in evenly.
- Finally, add the melted gelatin mixture into the batter and stir it in evenly.
Cake assembly steps:
- Begin by placing the cake paper mat on the cake turntable.
- Take a crepe and spread around 35g of chocolate mousse filling evenly on it using an L-shaped spatula, leaving a 0.5-0.7 cm gap at the edge.
- Repeat the steps to create a total of 10 layers.
- For the 11th layer, add the prepared strawberry jello. Then, continue repeating the previous steps until you've completed the 20th layer.
- Once the cake is assembled, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least two hours.
Optional: Ganache whipping cream topping
- Mix gelatin powder with water, stirring thoroughly, and let it sit for at least 10 minutes.
- Microwave the dark chocolate over medium heat, stirring every 30 seconds until it's completely melted. Set it aside.
- Place the fresh cream in a pot and heat it over high heat until it reaches about 70-80°C, and small bubbles form at the edges.
- Add the rehydrated gelatine cubes to the hot cream and stir until the gelatine is fully dissolved.
- Gradually pour a portion of the hot whipped cream into the melted chocolate, in two batches. After each addition, stir in a circular motion in the center of the container until the chocolate is fully emulsified and the mixture achieves a shiny, smooth texture.
- Transfer the ganache liquid into a container with a lid and refrigerate it overnight. Your ganache cream is now ready!
Cake decoration:
- Using an electric hand mixer, beat the ganache cream until it becomes soft and fluffy.
- You can opt to place the whipped ganache into a piping bag fitted with an 8-tooth nozzle and pipe floral decorations onto the cake. Alternatively, you can use a spoon to add a dollop of cream to the cake's top and then spread it with an L-shaped spatula, giving it the appearance of flowing liquid.
- For an extra touch of visual appeal, consider adding some fruits to adorn the top of the cake, making it even more visually appealing.
Notes
Suggestion notes:
Consider preparing the pancake batter, jelly, and ganache on the first day. Then, on another day, focus on making the crepes, preparing the mousse, and finally, assembling and decorating the cake.
