Crepe Cake

Everyone knows the French corner the market on desserts and pastries. They even have a classy name for everything that makes them sound even better. This is my bariatric take on a "Mille Crêpe", the delicious "thousand layer cake" the french are famous for.  It's a giant stack of crepes - each separated by some sort of filling.  This is my "proof of concept" version that I whipped up yesterday and served to my WLS support group last night.  It was a HIT.  

My version is flourless crepes spread with a rich, dense mousse.   I used "Pumpkin Pie Spice" mix because I happen to think it's an incredible blend.  This method lends itself easily to all sorts of variations as we'll mention below.

Ingredients:

Crepes:

8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

8 eggs

1/4 cup Splenda Granular

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice mixture 

Filling:

1 1.4 oz package Sugar Free Jell-0 vanilla instant pudding mix

2 cups heavy cream

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice mixture

Instructions:

Crepes:

Heat control is the trick here.  I ruined a BUNCH of crepes finding the right temperature to cook them.  They have nothing in them to bind them together - no flour, no gluten - so you have to be slow and delicate with them.

Make sure cream cheese is at room temperatire.  If not, unwrap and microwave on high for 30 seconds

Add eggs, cream cheese and spices to a blender.

Whiz until WELL BLENDED
Adjust spices to your taste

Heat a 9 inch non stick skillet over med-low heat.

Lightly spray with cooking spray

Add approximately 3 oz batter to the pan and swirl to produce a round product.

Allow to cook until bubbles form on top and the liquid nature begins to dry

CAREFULLY slip a rubber spatula under the edges to loosen the crepe then flip

Return to heat for about 30 seconds

Remove to a plate to cool while you repeat the process

Note:  Liquid will accumulate under the cooling crepe on the plate.  Wipe it dry when you transfer the cooled crepe to a stack, before you remove the next one from the pan.

Filling:

Add Jell-0 pudding mix, spices and heavy cream to a large bowl

Whisk (or use your mixer) on high for approximately 2 minutes until thick and fluffy
Adjust spices to your taste

Assembly:

• Place a crepe on a plate and slather with filling
• Add another - slather - then another
• Repeat until you have used all the crepes and filling.  

May be served immediately or well chilled in refrigerator

Store covered in refrigerator for up to 3 days

Cooks Notes:

Tearing a crepe is OK..  Just put all the pieces together somewhere in the middle of the stack and only you will ever know..

It's best if your crepes are approximately the same size, so you can stack them straight.

Double the recipe for a taller, more impressive cake.

Options:

This recipe lends itself to a LOT of experimentation.

• Add cocoa to half the batter and alternate vanilla and chocolate crepes in the stack
• Make all the crepes dark chocolate and fill with alternate layers of Chocolate Fudge pudding mousse and SF cherry preserves to make a Black Forest Torte!
• Use banana puddling and sliced bananas!
• Add a few drops lemon juice to the (unspiced) batter and some cheesecake pudding!

Tell me your ideas in the comments!