This appetizer (known in my family as pancake tower) consists of a stack of thin French crepes layered with homemade mayonnaise, smoked ham, lettuce, tomatoes, eggs, and a few other ingredients. The filling can change to adapt it to your family's palate. It can be made in advance.
A family recipe
This is one of my family's Christmas recipes, and we all eagerly look forward to it.
The original recipe used canned devil ham, which I have avoided for the past few decades, as I find smoked or natural ham way better.
The thin crepes can be made in advance, and this whole cake can be made several hours before serving. Some might say the night before. I put it together in the morning.
Filling ideas:
Our traditional filling: smoked or glazed ham or smoked pork tenderloin, lettuce, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, olives and sometimes hearts of palm.
Canned tuna is another classic here, paired with the same ingredients as above minus the hearts of palm.
Smoked salmon: thinly sliced (you can also make gravlax from scratch). It pairs with butter lettuce or baby arugula, seasoned sour cream with chives, thin cucumber slices, avocado, capers and pickled beets or onions.
Sliced turkey or chicken: layer with baby spinach, arugula or lettuce, pickled or raw red onion, hard-boiled eggs, olives, crisp bacon bits and avocado. A ranch mayo or thick avocado ranch dressing can be used instead of mayo.
Vegetarian: arugula, thinly sliced roasted eggplant, zucchini and red bell peppers, Swiss or another mild cheese, olives and caramelized onions. Use herb mayonnaise with basil or thyme.
Spreads: instead of mayo, use aioli or eggless mayonnaise. If I have some in the fridge, I sometimes add aioli with sriracha or aioli with roasted garlic to a few layers. Be careful with flavored spreads; some can be strong and too much if you use them on every crepe layer.
Mix and match whatever you think is best, and choose what you and your family like; make this dish your own.
How to make a crepe cake
The crepes
I make French pancakes from scratch, but using purchased ones saves a lot of time! So do what works for you.
Mayonnaise
As with the crepes, you can use store-bought or make your own. If you are unsure about the freshness of the eggs, use your favorite purchased mayo.
Ham layer
I like to start with it.
Don't make a flat layer. With the ham, create some air pockets so the cake has volume. It'll be way nicer when you place it on the table and cut it.
Create volume
As with the deli meats, lettuce is perfect for adding space between pancake layers so the cake is tall.
Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs are best finely chopped or even coarsely grated. I tried slices once, and they fell off when we served it. But whatever suits you is fine.
Topping
The final decoration on top is up to you. I don't like savory things that are too decorated, so I spread some mayo, grated egg, chopped olives and chives.
Vintage Kitchen Tips
- Mayo: since you're spreading it on every crepe, don't put too much on each.
- Salt and black pepper: remember to lightly season the layers
- Arranging the ingredients: don't overstuff the center of each crepe and leave the edges too bare; scatter and distribute evenly.
- Don't press the layers down too much, so the crepe cake has volume, and the different fillings are noticeable when you cut it.
Related recipes you might like:
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Savory Crêpe Cake
Ingredients
Crepe batter:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup heavy cream, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, to cook the crepes
Savory cake assembly:
- 7 ounces sliced smoked ham
- 2 or 3 lettuce leaves, rinsed and dried
- 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped or coarsely grated
- 1 cup chopped hearts of palm
- ½ cup chopped green olives
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives, for garnish
For the homemade mayo:
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 cup sunflower oil
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- dash of hot sauce, such as Tabasco
Instructions
Crepe batter:
- In a bowl, stir ¾ cup all-purpose flour and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Add 2 eggs and mix until you have a paste. Gradually add 1 cup whole milk while whisking and mix well. Do it little by little so there are no lumps.
- When you have a smooth mixture, add ⅓ cup heavy cream and stir to integrate. Let stand for 1 hour at room temperature.
- Heat the pancake maker or non-stick skillet over low heat. Add a smear of butter (from 1 tablespoon unsalted butter) before each crepe. Use about ¼ cup of preparation for each crepe.
- Cook for 40 seconds to 1 minute on the first side; when the surface is filled with bubbles and the edges are firm, turn the crepe over and cook for another 15 to 20 seconds. They can be kept in the fridge, well wrapped in plastic for a couple of days or frozen, with dividers between each one, for 1 month.
Homemade mayonnaise:
- Stir 1 cup olive oil and 1 cup sunflower oil in a jar and reserve.
- Put 2 eggs, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard and ½ teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for a minute, until foamy.
- Start adding the mix of oils very slowly at first, drop by drop, through the feed tube. The first half cup should be added by drops, so it emulsifies well. Have patience. After the first cup you can add the rest in a thin stream. The mayonnaise will be thick.
- Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice and a dash of hot sauce and pulse to combine. Check seasonings and adjust. Transfer to a glass jar and refrigerate. It keeps for 3 to 5 days.
To assemble the crepe cake:
- Have ready the crepes, 7 ounces sliced smoked ham, 2 or 3 lettuce leaves, 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced, 2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped, 1 cup chopped hearts of palm, ½ cup chopped green olivess and the mayonnaise.
- Place one crepe on the serving plate and spread a thin layer of mayonnaise
- Arrange smoked ham on top, folding them so they're no completely flat. Top with another crepe and spread with some mayonnaise. Don't overdo it with the mayo. And don't press down too much.
- Arrange lettuce on top, then another crepe spread with mayonnaise, the sliced tomatoes, another crepe with mayo, chopped hearts of palm, another crepe with mayo, the chopped olives and another crepe with mayonnaise.
- Scatter ¾ of the hard-boiled eggs directly over the crepe, reserving the remaining ¼ for the top of the cake.
- Place the last crepe on top. Spread some mayonnaise and sprinkle the reserved egg on top, some chopped olives 2 tablespoons chopped chives on top.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve, lightly covered with plastic, you don't want to crush it.
Notes
Homemade mayonnaise: barely adapted from Martha Stewart
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