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Go all out on Pancake Day with this multi-layered showstopper

If you are looking for a really show-off way to celebrate Pancake Day (on 5 March), then opt for a mille crêpe cake, a multi-layered pancake cake that’s having a moment in the patisserie world. Twelve or more layers of the thinnest crêpes possible are layered with flavoured creme patissière or cream to make a cake that is then sliced into neat portions. Japanese Kova in Soho (kovapatisserie.com) is famous for their Grinch-green matcha version, matcha is also on the menu at Sakurado in Kensington (sakurado.co.uk) and Menagerie in Manchester (menagerierestaurant. co.uk), but new Mille in Paddington (patisseriemille.com) is the first dedicated mille crêpes emporium with eight flavours on offer – we especially loved the lemon, passion fruit and chocolate flavours. The joy of eating one comes not just in the taste, but also in the feel of cutting into it – the fork gliding through its many whisper-like layers.

Lemon drizzle mille crêpe cake

SERVES 12 PREP 15 mins plus 1 hr chilling COOK 20 mins EASY V For the pancakes

100g plain flour

2 large eggs

300ml milk

1 tbsp butter, melted, plus more for the pan

For the filling

1 lemon, zested

250g mascarpone

250ml double cream

50g sugar

For the drizzle

115g caster sugar

2 lemons, juiced

1 Put the flour, eggs, milk, 1 tbsp melted butter and a pinch of salt in a bowl or large jug, then whisk to a smooth batter.

2 Set aside for 30 mins to rest if you have time, or start cooking straight away.

3 Set a frying pan or crêpe pan that has a base measurement of 15-16cm over a medium heat and, using kitchen paper, carefully wipe it with a little melted butter. When hot, cook each pancake for 1 min on each side until golden, keeping them warm in a low oven as you go. You should end up with 12.

4 For the filling, whisk together all the ingredients until semi whipped and still spreadable, the more you whisk it the harder it will be to spread on the pancakes. You can adjust the consistency by whisking more as you go along or loosening the mix by adding a little double cream.

5 Layer the pancakes with 2-3 tbsp of the filling, spreading it evenly to the edges, alternating between filling and pancake, finishing with a layer of filling. Put in the fridge to set for 1 hr, or leave overnight.

6 Meanwhile, make the drizzle to go on top. Boil together the sugar, lemon juice and 100ml water until the sugar has dissolved and you have a syrup, then set aside to cool.

7 For a neater finish, trim the edges of the chilled crêpe cake with a sharp knife so you can see the layers, if you like. Drizzle over the lemon syrup and cut into slices to serve

PER SERVING 319 kcals • fat 23g • saturates 15g • carbs 22g • sugars 16g • fibre none • protein 4g • salt 0.1g