Chocolate Crepe Cake – rolled cake for Candlemas

Ingredients

• 250 g All-purpose flour (Sift to avoid lumps)
• 30 g Unsweetened cocoa powder (No added sugar)
• 2 c. à soupe Granulated sugar (Lightly sweetened, adjust to taste)
• 1 pincée Fleur de sel (Just a pinch of salt)
• 3 unités Eggs (At room temperature)
• 50 g Unsalted butter (Melted, not burnt)
• 500 ml Whole milk (Can be replaced with almond or oat milk for a lactose‑free version)
• 250 ml Heavy cream (35 % MG) (For the whipped cream)
• 250 g Mascarpone (At room temperature)
• 1 unités Vanilla bean (Seeds scraped)
• 30 g Granulated sugar (for the cream) (About 6 teaspoons, very lightly sweetened)
• 100 g White chocolate spread (optional) (For the outer coating)
• 2 c. à soupe Powdered sugar (For decorating the top)

Instructions

1. Prepare the dry ingredients

   Sift the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and fleur de sel into a large bowl. Gently whisk to obtain a homogeneous mixture.

   Time: PT2M

2. Create the well and add the eggs

   Make a well in the center of the dry mixture, crack the eggs into it then add the melted butter. Begin mixing gently, incorporating the eggs into the flour.

   Time: PT3M

3. Incorporate the milk gradually

   Pour the milk little by little while whisking to obtain a smooth and slightly thick batter. If lumps appear, mix a few more seconds.

   Time: PT3M

4. Rest the crepe batter

   Cover the bowl with plastic film and let rest 15 minutes at room temperature. This allows the flour to hydrate and the batter to become more supple.

   Time: PT15M

5. Prepare the vanilla whipped cream

   In a cold bowl, pour the heavy cream, add the mascarpone, the vanilla bean seeds and the sugar. Whisk on medium speed until a firm yet supple consistency is reached.

   Time: PT5M

6. Cook the crepes

   Heat the non‑stick pan over medium heat (≈180°C). Pour a small ladle of batter, tilt the pan to spread. Cook 1 minute until the edges lift, then flip and cook 30 seconds on the other side. Repeat until the batter is exhausted (about 12 crepes).

   Time: PT48M

   Temperature: 180°C

7. Cool the crepes

   Place the cooked crepes on a rack or plate, cover with a clean cloth and let cool completely (about 10 minutes).

   Time: PT10M

8. Assemble the cake – first layer

   On the work surface, place a crepe, spread a tablespoon of whipped cream over the whole surface, add a thin line of spread (optional) and roll the crepe onto itself. Repeat with each crepe, stacking them on top of each other.

   Time: PT10M

9. Finishing and decoration

   Wrap the rolled cake in the pastry ring to give a regular shape. Brush the outside with the remaining spread, dust with powdered sugar and arrange white chocolate shavings around.

   Time: PT5M

10. Final rest (optional)

    Let the cake rest 15 minutes at room temperature or place in the refrigerator 30 minutes for optimal holding before serving.

    Time: PT15M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

420

Protein

6 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

22 g

Fiber

3 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of All-purpose flour: Whole wheat flour
• Instead of Unsweetened cocoa powder: Cocoa powder
• Instead of Granulated sugar: Cane sugar
• Instead of Eggs: Organic chicken eggs
• Instead of Unsalted butter: Vegetable oil
• Instead of Whole milk: Almond milk, Oat milk
• Instead of Heavy cream (35 % MG): Coconut cream (for lactose‑free version)
• Instead of Mascarpone: 0 % MG cream cheese
• Instead of Vanilla bean: Vanilla extract
• Instead of Granulated sugar (for the cream): Cane sugar
• Instead of White chocolate spread (optional): Nutella, Dark chocolate spread
• Instead of Powdered sugar: Granulated sugar

Equipment Needed

• Large mixing bowl
• Hand whisk or immersion blender
• Non‑stick pan (20 cm)
• Silicone spatula
• Pastry ring (20 cm) (optional)
• Plastic film or parchment paper (optional)
• Grater or microplane (for white chocolate) (optional)
• Kitchen scale
• Timer or watch (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Prepare the dry ingredients and sift to avoid lumps
• Rest the crepe batter (15 min)
• Cook the crepes over medium heat to avoid burning
• Assemble with a thin layer of spread so the crepes stick together

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use a good quality non‑stick pan for crepes that don’t stick.
• Heat the pan before pouring the batter, but do not exceed 200 °C to avoid excessive browning.
• Sifting the cocoa with the flour prevents black spots on the crepes.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the cake covered with plastic film 2‑3 days in the refrigerator.

Freezer: Can be frozen whole, well wrapped, up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator 12 h before serving.

Room temperature: Cooked crepes keep 1 day at room temperature in an airtight container.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the crepe batter the day before and keep it in the refrigerator (it improves).
• Crepes can be cooked ahead, cooled and stored under plastic film.
• Whipped cream holds for 24 hours refrigerated, keep it in the fridge until assembly.