Nutella Crepe Cake

 this month the gluten-free ratio rally crew has decided to take on crepes.

 one of my fondest food memories of the years we lived in heidelberg, germany, are of the nutella crepes we would buy while walking around the festive christmas markets. gooey hazelnut-chocolate melted in a warm, fresh crepe folded in quarters and wrapped in a piece of parchment… that’s the perfect snack for a cold day of walking around admiring all of the hand-painted ornaments, puppets and specialty booths that filled the cobblestone-lined squares.

so when crepes came up this month, as hard as i tried, i couldn’t deny the obvious pair of crepes and nutella. i have, though, always been a little intrigued by crepe cakes and have never before made one. i love all those pretty, fussy layers piled into a lovely tower… so i did.

i have to admit… i have nicknamed this dessert, “the delicious mess”. because the nutella jar warns to not refrigerate as crepe cakes typically require, i decided to build and shoot this sucker without chilling for fear the nutella would harden into a scary, chalky mortar between the crepe layers. though it was delicious, it was a bit of a mess. i did, however, chill the cake after taking photos and i’m happy to report the nutella remained just as it should be, smooth and creamy. the whole cake was just a little more set and less messy. so if you have the luxury of time and self-control, chill for a bit prior to serving. if not, then go ahead and dig in. just have some napkins nearby.

ruhlman’s ratio for crepes is 1 part liquid : 1 part egg : 1/2 part flour.

my ratio looks more like 1.3 parts liquid : 1 part egg : 1 part flour.