Fairtrade chocolate and banana crêpe cake
Feeds 16 - Ready in 2 Hours
This spectacular layer cake features 25 crêpes stacked up with banana cream and chocolate ganache.
Ingredients:
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300g Co-op plain flour
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75g Fairtrade cocoa powder,plus extra for dusting
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60g Co-op Fairtrade light brown soft sugar
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3 Co-op British free range eggs, plus 3 yolks, lightly beaten
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750ml Co-op semi-skimmed milk
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40g Co-op unsalted butter, melted
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Sunflower oil, for frying
For the banana cream:
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350ml Co-op semi-skimmed milk
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4 Co-op British free range egg yolks
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100g Fairtrade caster sugar
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20g cornflour
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20g Co-op plain flour
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300ml Co-op double cream
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2 ripe Co-op Fairtrade bananas, mashed
For the Ganache:
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150g Co-op Irresistible Fairtrade 70% cocoa dark chocolate
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150ml Co-op double cream
To decorate:
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Co-op Irresistible Fairtrade white, milk and dark chocolate
Directions:
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For the crêpes, sift the flour and cocoa into a bowl and stir in the sugar
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Make a well in the middle then add the beaten egg
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Whisk to combine, then slowly whisk in the milk and butter
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Leave to rest for 30 mins
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Meanwhile, make the banana cream
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Heat the milk until it just starts to boil. In a bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar, cornflour and flour together
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Slowly whisk in the hot milk, then return the mixture to the pan
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Whisk over a medium heat until thick and glossy, then leave to cool completely
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Whip the cream into soft peaks, then fold it through the cooled custard, along with the banana. Chill, covered with cling film, for at least 30 mins
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While it’s chilling, fry the crêpes
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Brush a 24cm nonstick frying pan with oil and warm over a medium heat Add about 50ml batter and swirl the pan to coat the base. Cook for 1-2 mins, until the crêpe is dry on top, then flip over and cook for 30 seconds
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Transfer to greaseproof paper and repeat to make 25 crêpes, stacking them with greaseproof paper in between
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Break the chocolate for the ganache into a bowl
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In a pan, bring the cream to a simmer, without boiling, then pour over the chocolate. Leave for 30 seconds, then stir until smooth, thick and glossy
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Allow to cool fully
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To assemble the cake, put a crêpe on a serving plate
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Spread over 1 heaped tablespoon of the banana cream and top with another crêpe
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Repeat for all the crêpes, then chill until firm
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Using a palette knife, cover the top and sides with the ganache
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Shave the chocolate into curls with a potato peeler, then use to decorate the cake
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Dust with cocoa and chill until needed