Chocolate Crepe Tower
Torre de Crepas de Chocolate
Recipe Yield
14 to 18 servings
Cooking time
8 hours 30 minutes
Rate this recipe
Ingredients
For the crepes:
- 1 cup melted unsalted butter plus more to grease the pan
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 6 large eggs
- 3 large egg yolks
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
- 1 1/2 cups water
For the chocolate pastry cream:
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 4 cups whole milk divided
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar divided
- 6 large egg yolks
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces (or 1 cup) dark or semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
For the chocolate ganache:
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
Optional garnishes:
- 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar for dusting
- Sliced strawberries
To Prepare
To make the crepes:
- In a small saucepan, heat the butter over low heat until it melts.
- Place the flour, eggs, egg yolks, milk, sugar, salt and melted butter in the blender and purée until smooth, about 10 seconds. Add the water and blend again until smooth. You can also mix the ingredients by hand, following the same order.
- Place the batter in a container, cover and refrigerate for at least half an hour, or up to 12 hours. Once ready to make the crepes, whisk the batter well with a fork or a whisk.
- Set a crepe pan or 7 1/2- to 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes. Butter the bottom of the pan and ladle about 1/4 cup of batter into it. Instead of working from the center to the sides, tilt the pan and pour the batter over one side and spread it as quickly as possible to the rest of the pan, so that it covers the entire surface.
- Cook for about 25 seconds, until edges are cooked and begin to dry out and the bottom of the crepe is lightly browned. With a small spatula or fork, lift one edge of the crepe and turn it over quickly with your fingers. Cook the second side for about 15 seconds, or until it has lightly browned. Flip the crepe onto a plate.
- Repeat with the rest of the batter. After 3 or 4 crepes, you may need to butter the pan again. If it isn’t a nonstick pan, you may need to do it for each one. Stack the crepes on top of each other with the first/darker side down. You should have about 35 to 40 crepes.
To make the chocolate pastry cream:
- In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and 2/3 cup of the milk. Using your fingers might be easiest. This creates a slurry to prevent lumps in your cream.
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring the remaining milk, cream and 1/2 cup of the sugar to a simmer. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks.
- Ladle 1/2 cup of the simmering milk mixture into the eggs, whisking into the eggs while you pour in order to temper the eggs, so they won’t curdle. Once completely combined, pour the egg mixture into the pot with the milk mixture and add your cornstarch slurry. Stirring frequently, cook until mixture is thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter, vanilla and chocolate, until it is all melted and combined. Set aside to cool until ready to use. If it will be more than a few hours, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
- On a cake stand or serving platter, place a crepe and spread or pipe about 3 tablespoons of pastry cream onto the crepe. Repeat until all the crepes and cream are used up. Refrigerate the cake for at least 8 hours or overnight.
To make the chocolate ganache (make this after the cake has been refrigerated):
- Place the chopped chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup cream to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let it sit for 5 minutes undisturbed, then fold with a rubber spatula until the chocolate and cream are mixed completely.
- Pour ganache onto the top of the refrigerated cake, letting it drip slightly down the sides. If desired, top with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and serve with sliced strawberries.
Comments
43comments inChocolate Crepe Tower
Toni Chandler
Nov 10
My husband and I saw this showcased on TV- Create. You cooked it for your JUJU!. I had never seen anything like it, so I wanted to try. Not only was it a fun family bonding experience to make the crepes together – but it was a hit at the table. We did find the cake slipping when assembling and we are not sure if the ingredients weren’t cold enough or the weight of the other layers caused the bottom layers to slip out when assembling- but we made a foil house for it, to keep it in place while it chilled in the fridge. We then unwrapped it from its house 8 hrs later and cut away all the uneven pieces that had slipped out. No one could ever tell! We ate ours with orange- chocolate chip ice cream from Sassy Cow Creamery in Columbus, Wisconsin. I did notice on your show you mentioned to put the resting crepe batter in the fridge because it helps get the crepes “fluffy” but in the text directions it just says to rest not mentioning the chilled effect/hack. We thought it was pretty cool that when making the crepes and pastry cream that there were exactly the amounts needed to not have any extras or ran out of ingredients. It was spot on for measurements. Looking forward to trying more of your fantastic recipes. Thank you!
Pati Jinich
Nov 25
So happy to hear you made this as a family project Toni, and what a great idea to pair it with that ice cream, yay!
Glen
Feb 18
Why do you call for heavy cream and heavy whipping cream separately? Aren’t they the same thing?
Pati Jinich
Mar 08
You are right Glen!
AJ
Oct 09
Oh my goodness, Pati! This one’s a winner!
We enjoy all your recipes, but this one is special.
Pati Jinich
Oct 24
So happy you liked it AJ!
Mariana, NYC
Jan 27
Made it yesterday in honor of my papa’s memory. He would have loved this crepe tower, comes out very effective visually and tastes fantastic. Got only raving reviews, thanks to your easy recipe. Being a long time crepe maestro, this one felt like a collaboration between my experience and the fresh, quirky spin you do on many dishes to make them “un-boring”. Thank you, mucho Patti!! Keep them coming, we’ll be watching you!
Pati Jinich
Feb 08
Thanks so much Mariana, so happy that you honored your dad with one of my recipes, I am very touched 😉
Kerrin Tierney
Jan 19
This crepe tower is incredibly delicious! Made it for my husband’s birthday – we watched the episode in which you made it this weekend and are so glad we did! This is by far the best dessert I’ve ever had. Thank you!
Pati Jinich
Jan 22
Happy birthday to your husband Kerrin! So glad you guys enjoyed this dessert to celebrate, yay!
Marco Antonio
Oct 13
Beautiful recipe, my son loved it 🙂 hummm yummy!
Pati Jinich
Oct 22
Yay, so glad to hear Marco Antonio 🙂
Ida
May 20
This recipe worked perfectly (so fun to make!) and was soooo delicious! Thank you Pati! My Dad loved his birthday cake 🙂
Pati Jinich
May 20
Aw! Thanks Ida 😉 Happy Birthday to your dad!
Dhruv
May 28
Ma’am are these eggs all together in This recipe or they have to be according to each ingredients.
Pati Jinich
May 29
You need 6 eggs and 3 yolks to make the crepes and also 6 eggs to make the pastry cream. Enjoy the cake, Dhruv.
Phyllis De Nicola
Nov 16
Hi Pati,
Can I refrigerate the tower after pouring ganache on top.?
I want to bring this for desset for Thanksgiving
Pati
Nov 16
You can, Phyllis. If you are looking to make it ahead for Thanksgiving, you can refrigerate/freeze the crepes for 3-4 days and then assembling the cake.
Carlos Ayala
Jun 18
I just saw this episode from your show last weekend! But loving both crepes and chocolate (Being the serious chocoholic that I am), this recipe perhaps stood out the most. Something my mother and I are definitely looking forward to make one of these days!
Pati
Jun 19
Have fun making it with your mom, Carlos!
yeraniacortez@gmail.com
Jun 16
Eres la mejor!!
Mis niños y yo haremos la chocolate 🥞 crepe tower!!
Can’t wait!!
Pati
Jun 18
Uy mil gracias!
Kathleen
Apr 29
How long can this stay in fridge? Can you freeze the crepes ahead of time, then assemble day before party? BTW, record your show so I won’t miss one. You have opened my eyes and kitchen to new recipes. Thank you so much.
Pati
May 04
You can refrigerate/freeze the crepes before assembling the cake for 3-4 days. Have fun making the cake, Kathleen!
CELIA PEREZ
Mar 17
I CAN HARDLY WAIT TO MAKE THE TOWER, IT LOOKS DELICIOUS.
Pati
Mar 19
Have fun and enjoy it, Celia!
sonia
Mar 08
Hi I tried your recipe and thought it was superb.Love your show.
Pati
Mar 09
Thank you so much Sonia!
Jennifer
Feb 18
This looks amazing, and I definitely want to try it. A few questions:
1. About how long does it take (for a non-professional cook) to make the 30-40 crepes?
2. If serving for a dinner party, do you take the cake out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature before topping with ganache, or do you want it still chilled with the ganache goes on?
Thank you!
Pati
Feb 19
The crepe making process does take some time…but it’s fun 😉 You pour the ganache over the refrigerated cake not at room temp. I hope you enjoy it, Jennifer!
Ben Cicala
Feb 08
Hello Pati! I am am 11 year old boy who wants to play in the NFL and likes to cook. I like your show, and when i saw the crepe tower episode, I was like i have to make that. I am going to try to make it for desert for my family!
Pati
Feb 09
Hola Ben! I’m so happy to hear you like to cook and enjoy the show. I hope your family loves the crepe tower, and that you have so much fun in the kitchen making it and many more recipes. 🙂
Shawn Najera
Feb 07
Wonderfull idea,going to try with my children.thanks for the inspiration
Pati
Feb 07
Yay! I hope you all enjoy it!
Lori sambueso
Dec 31
Thanks patti..Just got done finishing your chocolate crepe tower.will cut into for new years .Thanks for sharing love watching you and juju in the kitchen he is so adorable. HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Pati
Jan 02
Happy New Year to you too Lori!
Lori sambueso
Dec 29
Patti I want to say thank so much for sharing such a beautiful gift god has give to you.we have a very close gentlemen friend that has cancer and is currently eating out of feeding tube our friend stays home watching your cooking channel we went to visit him and we watched your show before I left he had me ordering your cook book.I am currently making your chocolate tower crepe for him to eat when he is ready for it alot of work but I am so excited to see him eat this.Thank you even my husband got involved helping me make the crepe.God bless.. You have such a beautiful family ..Love watching your little one juju.
Pati
Jan 02
Sending your friend my warmest wishes, Lori! Email me at hola@patijinich.com and I can send you an autographed bookplate for friend’s new book.
Lori sambueso
Jan 22
Hi patti! THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH.
pammiesue
Dec 28
Juju is nothing short of precious, Pati<3 You're truly blessed. Both of you!
Pati
Dec 29
Aw thank you!
Dial D.
Dec 28
JuJu we love you here in Michigan.
Love Momma Dial
Pati
Dec 28
Thank you Dial!