CHOCOLATE CINNAMON CRÊPE CAKE

Preparation 1 hour 30 minutes, plus resting and chilling Cooking about 1 hour Serves 16 This pleasing combination of hazelnut brittle, cinnamon and rich dark chocolate transforms the humble crêpe into a spectacular dessert.

FOR THE CRÊPES 100g unsalted butter, plus extra to fry 325g plain flour 75g caster sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon 4 large eggs 600ml semi-skimmed milk FOR THE HAZELNUT BRITTLE 200g blanched hazelnuts oil, to grease 250g caster sugar FOR THE FILLING 300ml double cream 500ml whole milk 1 cinnamon stick 50g caster sugar 6 large egg yolks 50g cornflour 1½ tsp vanilla bean paste or extract (or seeds from one vanilla pod) 1 tbsp ground cinnamon FOR THE GANACHE 200ml double cream 200g dark chocolate (70%), very finely chopped

1 First, make the crêpe batter: melt the butter in a small pan until it bubbles and begins to turn a nutty brown. Pour into a bowl and set aside to cool a little. 2 Tip the flour, sugar, cinnamon and ½ tsp fine salt into a large bowl. Make a well and add the eggs. Using a handheld electric whisk, and starting on a slow speed, whisk until just incorporated, then slowly whisk in the milk and 5 tbsp of the browned butter until smooth. Chill for at least 1 hour or overnight. 3 Meanwhile, make the brittle: preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) gas mark 6. Spread out the hazelnuts on a large, lightly greased baking tray, and bake for 5-7 minutes until toasted and golden. Cool slightly, then roughly chop. Spread out on the same baking tray again and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. 4 Meanwhile, over a low to medium heat, melt the sugar in a wide, heavybased frying pan until dissolved. Increase the heat and bubble until it turns deep golden. Remove from the heat and pour over the hazelnuts. Set aside to cool. Once set, break into pieces. Put half in a food processor and whizz to a fine powder, then set aside. Reserve the rest for decoration. 5 For the filling, gently heat the cream and milk in a large, heavy-based pan with the cinnamon stick until just steaming, then remove from the heat. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, using a handheld electric whisk, beat together the sugar, egg yolks, cornflour, vanilla and ground cinnamon until smooth. Remove the cinnamon stick from the milk and slowly pour about a quarter of the hot milk mix on the egg mixture. Whisk until smooth. Add the rest in a continuous stream, whisking. Return the mixture to the pan set over a medium heat and slowly bring to the boil, whisking constantly, until thick. Remove from the heat and turn into a bowl. Whisk in the reserved browned butter, cover with clingfilm (to stop a skin forming) and chill to set (at least 2 hours). Once cold, whisk in the finely ground hazelnut brittle. 6 To make the crêpes, put a 20cm frying pan over a medium-high heat and brush with a little butter. Briefly whisk, then pour a ladleful (about 75ml) into the pan – swirl and tilt so it evenly covers the base. Cook for 2 minutes until the edges seem dry and the underside of the crêpe is golden; flip and cook for a further 30 seconds until set. Transfer to a plate lined with baking parchment. Repeat with the remaining batter (re-greasing the pan when needed) to make about 16-18 crêpes. Stack between sheets of baking parchment to stop crêpes sticking. Leave to cool completely, cover stack with clingfilm and chill. 7 To assemble, put one crêpe on a cake stand and spread over about 3 tbsp of filling, leaving a 1cm border. Top with another crêpe and repeat, leaving the last pancake uncovered. Chill. 8 For the ganache, heat the cream and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water until the chocolate is almost melted. Stir until combined and smooth. Set aside until cool, thick and spreadable. 9 Using a palette knife, spread half the ganache around the cake sides, then cover the top with the rest. Chill first or serve straightaway. Decorate with shards of brittle before serving.