DESSERT - Chestnut Mille Crêpes

By Aemelia

Ingredients

• For the crêpes:
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water or light beer
• 4 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon Cointreau or Grand-Marnier
• For the chestnut cream:
• 16 ounces chestnuts (use bottled chestnuts)
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 4 tablespoons sweetened chestnut puree (optional)
• 1/2 heavy cream, whipped (optional)
• For the orange caramel:
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup orange juice, strained

Details

Adapted from zencancook.com

Preparation

Step 1

For the crêpes:
Combine all the ingredients by hand or in the bowl of a blender. Mix until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (Preferably overnight, this allows the gluten in the flour a chance to relax.)
Place a 6-inch nonstick or seasoned crepe pan over medium heat. Using a paper towel, coat the pan with a little butter.
Pour about 2 tablespoons into the pan. Lift, tilt and rotate the pan so that the batter forms an even, very thin layer. Cook until golden. Turn the crepe over and cook a little longer. Remove the crepe to a piece of wax paper. Continue cooking the rest of the crepes.

For the chestnut cream:
Combine the chestnuts, the milk, the sugar and the vanilla in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook over medium high heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and puree the mixture in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the sweetened chestnut paste if using and process until smooth.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Fold the whipped cream into the mixture and reserve.
For the orange caramel:
Cook the sugar in a dry heavy saucepan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until sugar is melted into a deep golden caramel.
Tilt pan and carefully pour in juice (caramel will harden and steam vigorously). Cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until caramel is dissolved, then cool sauce.
To assemble the Mille Crêpes:
Lay 1 crêpe on a cake plate. Using an icing spatula, completely cover with a thin layer of chestnut cream. Cover with a crêpe and repeat to make a stack of 15 to 20.
Chill for at least 2 hours. Serve cold. If you have a blowtorch for crème brûlée, sprinkle the top crêpe with 2 tablespoons sugar and caramelize with the torch. Slice like a cake. Serve with orange caramel and vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!