Gateau de Crêpes

This is the fairest - and simplest - crêpe cake of them all!

Crêpe cakes feature different fillings ranging from pastry cream to jam (even sometimes a combination of thereof). They all taste pretty fabulous, but they are not all equally easy to prepare. My recipe is just two ingredients: crêpes and Chantilly cream, which is a fancy way of saying sweetened whipped cream. Served with some mixed berries, it is the simplest and most straightforward of flavors, with a striking and elegant presentation. I just love culinary juxtapositions like that...playful, joyful, and always alluring. Prepare one batch of my Classic Crêpes and you'll have exactly what you'll need to make this stupendous creation!

Equipment: large mixing bowl or standing mixer with whisk attachment: whisk or hand mixer (if not using standing mixer); rubber spatula; dry and wet measuring cups; measuring spoons; small offset spatula; cake plate

Ingredients:

18-20 crêpes (one batch of my Classic Crêpes)

4 cups of cold heavy cream

¼ cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract fresh berries for garnish, such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries

1. To make the Chantilly cream, beat the heavy cream until frothy and slowly add the sugar. Beat until soft peaks form and add the vanilla extract. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

ILOC tip: choose the prettiest crêpe for the top of the cake and set it aside to be the final layer.

2. Place a crêpe on a cake plate, presentation side facing up (that's the side that first touched the pan before you flipped it as you cooked it).

3. Place approximately ¼ cup of the Chantilly cream in the center of the crêpe. Using a small offset spatula, spread the cream evenly over the surface of the crêpe. Top with another crêpe in the same manner and repeat until the final crêpe is left.

4. Top the cake with the final crêpe and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours, or overnight.

5. Remove the cake from the refrigerator, remove plastic wrap, garnish with any extra Chantilly cream and fresh berries. Serve sliced with berries.

Makes 8-12 servings.