Savory Crêpe Cake
We call it pancake tower, and it's a must for Christmas. This is an old family recipe that I particularly love. Thin French pancakes are stacked with savory ingredients for a fantastic cold appetizer. Homemade mayonnaise must be refrigerated at all times. If you don't want to eat raw eggs, use store-bought.
Servings 8 servings
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
Filling variations: any combination you like works. Instead of ham use other deli meats. Some people use canned tuna as the protein. Omit the ingredients you don't like (hearts of palm maybe) and add others like avocado or cheese.
For a quicker recipe: use store-bought crepes and mayo.