Apple Crepe Cake Gateaux Mont Saint Michel Recipes

Steps:

• For the apple-cinnamon puree: Puree the roasted apples and their juices in a food processor or blender. Combine the apple puree with the lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened and reduced slightly, about 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature and store in a sanitized jar for up to a month.
• For the salted caramel: Heat the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, until the sugar turns golden. Stir until all of the sugar is dissolved and just starting to turn a lovely amber color.
• Turn heat to low, add the butter and stir to combine. Careful, it'll foam up. Then add the heavy cream, vanilla extract and salt, stirring to combine. You'll cook the sauce for 5 to 10 minutes, until it comes together. It'll take quite a bit of stirring! Let caramel cool to room temperature, pour into a glass jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Pour over everything and anything!
• For the crepes: Pop the flour, both sugars, salt, milk, eggs and melted butter in a large bowl and blend together thoroughly. If at all lumpy, strain.
• Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Lightly coat or spray with vegetable oil and ladle a scoop of the batter into the center of the pan. Tilt the pan, rotating in a circle, to spread the entire crepe out. It should be about 9 inches wide and very thin. Cook until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Set aside on a plate. Cook the remaining batter until you have about 20 crepes.
• For assembly: Place a crepe on a cake platter and spread 3 to 4 tablespoons of the mascarpone over the crepe. Top with another crepe, and spread with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the salted caramel sauce. Top that with another crepe, and spread with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the apple-cinnamon puree. Repeat this process until you've layered 20 crepes.
• Pop the crepe cake in the fridge for at least 3 hours (preferably overnight) to set. When ready to serve, remove from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for about 20 minutes to take the chill off. Sprinkle the top with sea salt and enjoy.

Steps:

• Crepes:
• Put the eggs, water, and 1/2 cup milk in a large bowl. Whisk until combined. Add the flour, cinnamon and salt and again whisk until combined. Whisk in the melted butter.
• Refrigerate the batter for at least 1/2 hour.
• Heat a 6-inch non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour 2 tablespoons crepe batter into the pan and quickly rotate the pan so the batter forms a thin layer over the bottom of the pan. (Return excess batter to the remaining batter.) Cook the crepe for 1 to 2 minutes until it is golden brown. Loosen the edge of the crepe with a knife and using your fingers, invert the crepe and cook the other side for about 10 seconds.
• Continue cooking crepes until you have at least 12.
• Make sure the crepes are cool and then cover them with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve them.
• Apple Balls:
• Peel the apples. Using a melon baller, scoop out the apple balls making sure you do not scoop into the core. Make 42 balls total.
• Combine the cider, sugar, and water in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for about 30 seconds until the sugar dissolves.
• Reduce the cider mixture to a gentle boil. Place the apple balls in the cider syrup and cover them with parchment paper or a cloth towel. Poach the apple balls for about 5 minutes until the are soft. Be careful not to over-poach them as you want them to retain their shape. Poaching timing will depend on the variety of apple being used.
• Remove the apples from the cider syrup, reserving the syrup. The apples can be poached ahead of time.
• Plating:
• Place the cider syrup in a large saute pan over medium heat. Place the crepes 1 at a time in the liquid, folding them into quarters once they have been coated with the syrup. Heat the crepes until they are warmed through.
• Place 2 crepes on each plate. Increase the heat to high and add the lemon juice, Calvados, salt and butter. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly. While the sauce is cooking place a pile of apple balls on top of the crepes in the middle of each plate. Pour the sauce over the crepes. Top with a tablespoon of creme fraiche. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• The day before, make the crepe batter and the pastry cream. Batter: In a small pan, cook the butter until brown like hazelnuts. Set aside. In another small pan, heat the milk until steaming; allow to cool for 10 minutes. In a mixer on medium-low speed, beat together the eggs, flour, sugar and salt. Slowly add the hot milk and browned butter. Pour into a container with a spout, cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Pastry cream: Bring the milk with the vanilla bean (and scrapings) to a boil, then set aside for 10 minutes; remove bean. Fill a large bowl with ice and set aside a small bowl that can hold the finished pastry cream and be placed in this ice bath.
• In a medium heavy-bottomed pan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, then place pan over high heat and bring to a boil, whisking vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes. Press the pastry cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the small bowl. Set the bowl in the ice bath and stir until the temperature reaches 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Stir in the butter. When completely cool, cover and refrigerate.
• Assemble the cake the next day: Bring the batter to room temperature. Place a nonstick or seasoned 9-inch crepe pan over medium heat. Swab the surface with the oil, then add about 3 tablespoons batter and swirl to cover the surface. Cook until the bottom just begins to brown, about 1 minute, then carefully lift an edge and flip the crepe with your fingers. Cook on the other side for no longer than 5 seconds. Flip the crepe onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Repeat until you have 20 perfect crepes.
• Pass the pastry cream through a sieve once more. Whip the heavy cream with the tablespoon sugar and the Kirsch. It won't hold peaks. Fold it into the pastry cream.
• Lay 1 crepe on a cake plate. Using an icing spatula, completely cover with a thin layer of pastry cream (about 1/4 cup). Cover with a crepe and repeat to make a stack of 20, with the best-looking crepe on top. Chill for at least 2 hours. Set out for 30 minutes before serving. If you have a blowtorch for crème brûlée, sprinkle the top crepe with 2 tablespoons sugar and caramelize with the torch; otherwise, dust with confectioners' sugar. Slice like a cake. Batter adapted from ''Joy of Cooking.'' Pastry cream adapted from ''Desserts,'' by Pierre Hermé and Dorie Greenspan.