Baklava Crepe Cake

Baklava, meets Crepe Cake

Difficulty: Advanced | Time: 2 hours (active), 4 hours (total) | Yields: 1 6” Cake

I really wanted to make a cake… but I also really wanted to make baklava… What. A. Dilemma. UNTIL, I came up with this magical idea to make a Baklava Crepe Cake. Thin layers of vanilla crepes mimic baklava’s phyllo dough, honey whipped cream (mimicking baklava’s honey syrup) fill each layer, and two significant layers of pistachios and walnuts bring it all together. I don’t want to say I’m genius, but…

Ingredients:

For the crepes:

• 4 eggs

• 514mL whole milk

• 271g all purpose flour

• 14g granulated sugar

• 56g butter, melted

For the honey whipped cream:

• 411mL heavy whipping cream

• 108g honey

For the nut filling:

• 125g pistachios, shelled

• 125g walnuts

• 1t cinnamon

• 30g granulated sugar

• 30g water

• 50g honey

• zest of an orange

For garnish (optional):

• extra honey whipped cream: 118mL heavy cream + 1T honey

• honey, for drizzling

• pistachios, chopped

• walnuts, chopped

Directions:

Make the crepes:

1. In a blender, add all of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

2. Grease a 6” pan and place it on medium heat. Pour about 2T of batter into the pan and tilt the pan so the batter evenly covers the whole pan. Let the crepe cook until the batter no longer looks wet, then flip the crepe to cook another 20 seconds on the other side. Transfer to a separate plate for later. Repeat this step until you’ve used all the batter— It will yield about 25 crepes.

Make the honey whipped cream:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with an electric hand mixer, add the heavy cream and begin whipping.

2. Slowly drizzle in all of the honey as you’re whipping the cream.

3. Whip until stiff peaks form.

Make the nut filling:

1. In a medium sauce pan, add the sugar, water, honey and orange zest. Place it over medium high heat and mix until the sugar is fully dissolved. Set aside.

2. In a food processor, pulse together the pistachios, walnuts and cinnamon into fine chunks.

3. Place the chopped nuts in a bowl and pour the sugar mixture over top. Fold together until evenly combined. Set aside.

Assemble:

1. Line the edges of a 6” springform tin with acetate paper (or parchment paper if you don’t have acetate paper), and the bottom of the tin with parchment paper so the cake doesn’t stick to the bottom.

2. Place one layer of crepe down.

3. Add about 2T of honey whipped cream and spread it evenly.

4. Repeat step 2 and 3 seven more times, for a total of eight layers of crepe. Then spread half of the nut filling on top.

5. Repeat step 2 and 3 again, eight more times, for another 8 layers of crepe. Then you’ll spread the remaining half of the nut mixture.

6. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the remaining crepes and whipped cream (another eight layers). So the cake should go: 8 layers of crepes - nut filling - 8 layers of crepes - nut filling - 8 layers of crepes.

7. Place the cake in the fridge, covered, for about 2 hours to allow everything to set.

8. While it’s chilling, whip up some more honey whipped cream for garnish and chop some additional nuts (optional).

9. Take the cake from the fridge, remove it from the spring form tin and peel off the acetate paper. Garnish with the honey whipped cream, chopped nuts and a drizzle of honey.

10. Cut into the cake to reveal the amazing layers!