As one half of the successful design team behind Oscar de la Renta and Monse, creating designer outfits for some of the world’s most stylish women comes naturally to Laura Kim. However, that’s not her only passion and you’ll know that if you’re a regular follower of Kim’s on Instagram – she loves to cook. Her feed is full of her homemade gourmet bites to behind the scenes photos of her and her partner Fernando Garcia.
The designer recently shared a recipe for one of her favourite desserts, and it’s one no one wants to pass up. So, here is one of her favourite desserts, Gâteau de Crêpes. And, naturally, she is wearing this season’s Oscar de la Renta botanical dress while doing it.
Gâteau de Crêpes
Ingredients – Crepe batter
- 6 tbsp butter
- 3 cups milk
- 6 Eggs
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 7 tbsp sugar
- A pinch of salt
Ingredients – Vanilla pastry cream
- 2 cups milk
- 1 vanilla bean, halved and scraped
- 6 egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted
- 3 ½ tbsp butter
The assembly
- • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- • 2 cups heavy cream
- • 1 tbsp sugar or more
- • 3 tbsp Kirsch confectioner’s sugar
Cooking tip: Make the crêpe batter and the pastry cream a day before.
Method
Step 1 – the batter
1. In a small pan, cook the butter until brown like hazelnuts. Set aside. In another small pan, heat the milk until steaming.
2. Allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes. In a mixer on medium-low speed, beat together the eggs, flour, sugar, and salt.
3. Slowly add the hot milk and browned butter. Pour into a container with a spout, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Step 2 – the pastry cream
1. Bring the milk with the vanilla bean (and scrapings) to a boil, then set aside for 10 minutes. Remove bean.
2. 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.
Step 3
1. In a medium heavy-bottomed pan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch.
2. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, then place pan over high heat and bring to a boil, whisking vigorously for one to two minutes.
3. Press the pastry cream through a fine meshed sieve into the small bowl. Set the bowl in the ice bath and still until the temperature reaches 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
4. Stir in the butter. When completely cool, cover and refrigerate.
Step 4 – the assembly (to do the following day)
1. Bring the batter to room temperature. Place a nonstick or seasoned 9-inch crêpe pan over medium heat.
2. Swab the surface with the oil, then add about three tablespoons batter and swirl to cover the surface.
3. Cook until the bottom just begins to brown (about one minute) then carefully lift an edge and flip the crêpe with your fingers.
4. Cook on the other side for no longer than five seconds. Flip the crêpe onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Repeat until you have 20 perfect crêpes.
Step 5
1. 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.
Step 6
1. Lay one crepe on a cake plate, using an icing spatula. Completely cover with a thin layer of pastry cream (about 1/4 cup)
2. Cover with a crêpe and repeat to make a stack of 20. With the best-looking crepe on top. Chill for at least two hours. Set out for 30 minutes before serving.
3. If you have a blowtorch for crème brûlée, sprinkle the top crepe with two tablespoons of sugar and caramalise with the torch. Otherwise dust with confectioners sugar. Slice like a cake and devour.
Recipe from New York Times. Batter Adapted from Joy of Cooking. Pastry cream adapted from Desserts, by Pierre Hermé and Dorie Greenspan.
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Images: Supplied, Instagram
