Hazelnut & chocolate crepe stack

A crêpe is a type of very thin, cooked pancake usually made from wheat flour. The word, like the pancake itself, is of French origin, deriving from the Latin crispa, meaning "curled." While crêpes originate from Brittany, a region in the northwest of France, their consumption is nowadays widespread in France and is considered the national dish. In Brittany, crêpes are traditionally served with cider. For the chocoholic this is a delicious recipe to enjoy with family and friends.

 

• 2 quantities of the basic crepe recipe (see related recipe)
• 100g hazelnuts
• 250g spreadable cream cheese
• 1/4 cup (85g) strawberry jam
• 1 cup (260g) Nutella
• 200g good quality dark chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup (185ml) thickened cream
• Strawberries, halved

1. Make 2 quantities of the basic crepe recipe (see related recipe). Preheat oven to 180°C. Put 100g hazelnuts on a baking tray and bake for 5-8 minutes or until roasted.
2. Place in a clean tea towel and rub to remove skins. Roughly chop. Mix 250g spreadable cream cheese with 1/4 cup (85g) strawberry jam.
3. Use 1 cup (260g) Nutella to spread over half the crepes. Scatter with hazelnuts. Spread 7 of the remaining crepes with the strawberry cream. Put a hazelnut crepe on a plate. Top with a strawberry crepe and layer crepes alternately, finishing with the plain one. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Melt 200g good quality dark chocolate, chopped, and 3/4 cup (185ml) thickened cream in a saucepan. Stir over a medium heat until smooth and well combined.
5. Drizzle chocolate sauce over the crepe stack and top with halved strawberries. Cut crepe stack into wedges to serve.

• 1 cup (150g) plain flour
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 240ml milk
• 2 eggs

1. Place ingredients in a food processor or blender with a pinch of salt.
2. Blend until smooth, then strain into a jug. Cover and set aside to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
3. Dip a piece of paper towel in melted butter and use to brush base of a 16cm non-stick crepe pan or frypan over medium heat. When hot, pour in just enough batter to cover the base.
4. Tilt pan so batter covers base in a thin film and pour any excess back into the jug. Cook crepe for about 1 minute until underside is golden, then use a metal spatula to flip. Cook other side for just under a minute until golden.
5. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat for remaining crepe mixture, stacking crepes on the plate