Matcha Mille Crepe Cake with Minimal Matcha

You don’t need Lady M when you have Lady S. Who wants a slice of this matcha mille crepe cake? I might be a little weird, but I love slicing into a mille cake and feeling the pressure give away as you slice through each crepe. Is it me or does anyone else find that sensation oddly satisfying?

Mille crepe cakes are not new to me. I’ve made several in the past before but they’ve suddenly reached peak popularity due to  Lady M and U :Dessert Story. I figured it was time to make another one. They’re one of the few cakes that you don’t need to bake, but be warned, it takes a lot of time and work to make one. Dedicate at least 3 hours to make the crepes. Mille crepe cakes aren’t hard to make, they just require a lot of precision and patience.

A few of pointers when making a crepe cake:

• Allow the batter to rest for at least two hours before making crepes (best is overnight). Why? Because science. When the batter is resting, starch molecules in the flour absorb the liquid. This allows the molecules to swell so that the batter is thicker. The rest also allows any gluten that was formed during the mixing to relax again so your crepes are soft instead of rubbery.
• Invest in a crepe pan. I know, I know. I hate uni-taskers as well, but I use this pan for so many things. I fry eggs in them. I make quesadillas in them. It’s one of the most used pans in my kitchen. Using a crepe pan will help ensure an even browning on your crepes. The shallow/sloped sides of the pan also facilitates in flipping the crepes as it’s already a very hard task.
• Use a measuring cup to ensure equal sized crepes. I always use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to pour the batter. It helps to make sure all the crepes are the same size and thickness.
• When pouring the batter, already have your crepe pan in your hand. Let me explain. I have my 1/4 cup of batter in my non-dominant hand (left hand for me). My crepe pan in my dominant hand (right hand). The moment I pour the batter in, my right hand immediately rotates the pan so that the batter coats the entire pan. Crepe batter cooks very quickly; if you don’t move fast, it won’t spread.
• Don’t play around with the heat. Set it to medium low heat and leave it there. Don’t play around with it. It’ll help with even browning across all your crepes if they’re cooked on the same heat.
• When assembling the cake, always use an ice cream scoop to ensure the same amount of cream is spread between layers. Same concept as using the measuring cup for the batter. You want to make sure your cream layers are even. I use about 3 tablespoons of whipped cream per layer and a small offset spatula to spread it.
• Spread your whipped cream to the edges of the crepes. You don’t want the cream so just be in the center of the cake, that’s what makes it lopsided.
• Lay the crepes down away from you. Not sure if this a real tip or not or if it’s just something that applies to me because I’m weird. I find that my crepe placement is centered when I place the crepe down and lay it away from me. Give it a try and let me know?

Minimal Matcha sent me their amazing Monday ceremonial matcha to try. I’m not just saying this, but their matcha is truly incredible. That green color you see is the actual color of their matcha – there’s no color editing done here. I have bought so much matcha in the past that is dull and grey. But this matcha is gorgeous in hue and the flavor is so rich and robust with creamy, earthy tones. Minimal Matcha has been practicing making matcha for generations in the birthplace of matcha, Uji, Japan. They grind their tea leaves with traditional granite stone mills even though it takes longer than industrial grinders. Minimal Matcha is a San Francisco company and you know how I love to support local businesses. I can’t wait to make a latte with this matcha.