Chocolate & Raspberry Black Bean Crepe Cake

a beautiful disaster...

Impress guests with this 16 layer chocolate cake in more ways than one! First off, it's really quite beautiful, but does require a good part of an afternoon to make and a little skill cooking the crepes. That said, it's totally something that can be learned with some practice. I got pretty good at making them by the end! Additionally, your guests will never know that there's a cup of black beans in the crepe batter. You absolutely can not taste them.

This crepe cake should be served chilled and at your home. We tried to travel with it yesterday and it was a beautiful disaster. I hadn't chilled it at all and the layers went in opposite directions as soon as we made our first turn out of the driveway. I was so defeated. So, take my advice and serve this impressive cake well chilled and at your home. Or, build it when you get to wherever you are going! Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 8
Black Bean Crepes
2 C Whole Milk
2 Large Eggs
1 Stick Unsalted Butter, divided
1 1/2 C All-Purpose Flour
1/3 C Cocoa Powder
1/4 C Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 C Prepared Black Beans

Chocolate Mousse
1 Package Dream Whip
2 C 2% Milk, divided
1/2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Package Jell-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling

Raspberry Sauce
2 Pints Raspberries
1 T Granulated Sugar
1 T Chambord (Raspberry Flavored Liquor)

Topping: Chocolate Sauce

Directions
Prepare the black beans as directed in my previous posts. A little less than 1/2 C dried will yield 1 C prepared.

Make the crepe batter: Melt 3 T butter; reserve the remaining stick to cook the crepes. Combine the milk, eggs, melted butter, flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and beans in a blender. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Make the mousse: While the crepe batter chills, make the mousse. Following the directions on the Dream Whip box, make the whipped topping (see side panel). Then, follow the directions on the back to make the Chocolate Mousse. Cover and chill the mousse while making the raspberry sauce and crepes.

Make the raspberry sauce: Set aside ~10 raspberries to garnish the cake. Put the remaining raspberries, sugar, Chambord, and 3 T water in a small sauce pot. Cook over medium-low heat until the raspberries break down and the sauce begins to thicken, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool.

Cook the crepes: While the raspberry sauce is cooking, make the crepes. Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium low. Add 1/2 T reserved butter to the skillet and turn the pan to coat the bottom. Then, pour in ~1/4 C crepe batter, again turning the pan to spread the batter to the edges in an even layer. Cook the crepe until set, about 1 minute. Carefully flip the crepe and cook another minute. Transfer to a plate to cool. Repeat with the remaining butter and batter to make about 16 crepes.

Build the crepe cake: Once everything is ready, it's time to assemble the cake. On a cake stand, lay one crepe in the center, top with ~2 T chocolate mouse spreading it evenly over top, and then top with ~1 T raspberry sauce spreading that evenly over the mousse. Stack a crepe on top and repeat by adding more mousse and raspberry sauce. Repeat this process until all of the crepes have been used up. Top the last crepe with any remaining mousse and raspberry sauce. Decorate with the reserved raspberries and chocolate sauce. Chill, then slice to serve. Enjoy!

Banana & Maple Ricotta Filled Crepes

makin' banana pancakes, pretending it's the weekend now...

That song, if you know it, will now be stuck in your head the rest of the day; believe me, I've been singing it since I've been thinking about this post! You have to love Jack Johnson! Anyway, I've made crepes for this post, which are the French version of a pancake. I even learned (by about the fourth crepe) how to flip them in the pan by throwing them in the air. It was a fun experiment...just ask my husband.

Focusing on bananas for these three posts has lead me to making breakfast/brunch food and this post is no different. I've simply filled crepes with maple infused ricotta cheese and sliced bananas. This would be the perfect breakfast or bunch item for a lazy weekend day. And, lets face it, with as cold as it has been, I've had no motivation to get outside and do anything. So, be lazy this weekend and make these French inspired banana pancakes, here's how...

Ingredients - Makes 12 Crepes
1 1/3 C All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 T Granulated Sugar
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 C Whole Milk
6 Eggs
1/2 C Water
1 Stick Unsalted Butter
4-5 Ripe Bananas
15 oz. Container Ricotta Cheese (low-fat okay)
1/4 C 100% Pure Maple Syrup, more for topping

Directions

Begin by making the crepe batter: Melt half the stick of butter (4 T) in the microwave; allow to cool. In a blender combine the flour, sugar, salt, milk, eggs, water, and melted, cooled butter. Blend until smooth and all ingredients are incorporated. Allow the batter to rest at room-temperature for about 20 minutes.

While the crepe batter thickens, prepare the rest of the ingredients. In a medium bowl combine the ricotta and maple syrup. Stir together until smooth. Cut the bananas into 1/4 in. thick slices. Set aside.

Make the crepes: Heat a 12 in. non-stick skillet over medium and add a small pat of butter. Once the butter is melted and has coated the bottom of the skillet pour in about 1/3 of a cup of the crepe batter. Swirl the batter around the pan to ensure a thin layer is made. Allow the crepe to cook on this first side for 2-3 minutes.

When it's time to flip, loosen the crepe all around the outside with a spatula. Flip using the spatula, be careful not to tear the crepe, or practice your flipping in the air skills. Just don't be afraid to flip the crepe and you can do it! Cook for another minute on the second side and remove to a plate. Continue making the crepes until the batter is gone; stacking them on the plate as they are finished. Be sure to add a small pat of butter to the skillet before making each crepe.

Finally, fill the crepes: Lay one crepe flat on a clean surface. Down the center of the crepe spread 2-3 T of the maple ricotta mixture and add sliced bananas in 2 rows. Fold into thirds and place seam-side up on a plate. To serve 4 people, plate 3 crepes per person. Top with a dollop of maple ricotta, a few banana slices, and a drizzle of maple syrup. Pretend that it's the weekend now...or if it really is, enjoy!