Apple Crepe Cake Gateaux Mont Saint Michel Food

APPLE CREPES

Steps:

• Crepes:
• Put the eggs, water, and 1/2 cup milk in a large bowl. Whisk until combined. Add the flour, cinnamon and salt and again whisk until combined. Whisk in the melted butter.
• Refrigerate the batter for at least 1/2 hour.
• Heat a 6-inch non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour 2 tablespoons crepe batter into the pan and quickly rotate the pan so the batter forms a thin layer over the bottom of the pan. (Return excess batter to the remaining batter.) Cook the crepe for 1 to 2 minutes until it is golden brown. Loosen the edge of the crepe with a knife and using your fingers, invert the crepe and cook the other side for about 10 seconds.
• Continue cooking crepes until you have at least 12.
• Make sure the crepes are cool and then cover them with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve them.
• Apple Balls:
• Peel the apples. Using a melon baller, scoop out the apple balls making sure you do not scoop into the core. Make 42 balls total.
• Combine the cider, sugar, and water in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for about 30 seconds until the sugar dissolves.
• Reduce the cider mixture to a gentle boil. Place the apple balls in the cider syrup and cover them with parchment paper or a cloth towel. Poach the apple balls for about 5 minutes until the are soft. Be careful not to over-poach them as you want them to retain their shape. Poaching timing will depend on the variety of apple being used.
• Remove the apples from the cider syrup, reserving the syrup. The apples can be poached ahead of time.
• Plating:
• Place the cider syrup in a large saute pan over medium heat. Place the crepes 1 at a time in the liquid, folding them into quarters once they have been coated with the syrup. Heat the crepes until they are warmed through.
• Place 2 crepes on each plate. Increase the heat to high and add the lemon juice, Calvados, salt and butter. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly. While the sauce is cooking place a pile of apple balls on top of the crepes in the middle of each plate. Pour the sauce over the crepes. Top with a tablespoon of creme fraiche. Serve immediately.

JACQUES TORRES'S CREPES WITH CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using a whisk attachment, mix on medium speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Using a paring knife, slice the vanilla bean in half. Add the vanilla seeds, flour, citrus zests, and half of the milk and mix on medium speed until well incorporated. Add remaining milk and cream, continue to mix until the crepe batter is smooth and homogenous. If the batter is lumpy, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve. Grease an 8-inch nonstick crerpe pan (a nonstick frying pan will also work) with about 1 teaspoon of the butter and place over medium-high heat. Once it is hot, wipe away any excess butter with a paper towel. Then pour a small amount of crepe batter, about 2 tablespoons, into the pan and tilt the pan to spread the batter evenly. The batter should barely cover the bottom of the pan. Cook until it browns around the edges, about 30 seconds. Use a large spatula or pancake turner to gently flip the crepe and cook for another 30 seconds. Adjust the level of heat as needed. The crepe should be thin, light, and unevenly browned. Slide the crepe onto a plate and continue to make crepes until all of the batter is used. If the crepes begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, butter the pan again.
• Crepes may be stacked directly on top of each other and stored in the refrigerator up to 2 days, well-wrapped. Cold crepes may stick together; warm the crepes slightly in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds on high power, or in a moderate oven to separate easily.
• To assemble the crepes, use a sharp paring knife to slice reserved vanilla pod halves into 3 strips lengthwise. If your vanilla bean halves are not wide enough to cut into 3 strips, just cut them in half lengthwise. These pieces will be used to tie the crepe bundles together. It is easiest to tie the bundles together if you have long, thin vanilla strips. Place 1 crepe on a clean work surface. Fill the center of the crepe with about 2 tablespoons of the caramelized pears. Fold the crepe in half so that it looks like a fan. Bring the ends of the fan towards the center and tie the bundle with a vanilla bean strip. Make 11 more crepe bundles. If you don't have enough vanilla bean strips you can just fold the crepes closed. Stand the crepe bundles upright in the center of the plates and serve.
• Peel, core and cut the pears into 1/2-inch-thick slices and then cut in half crosswise. Heat a large heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is warm, sprinkle the sugar into the pan in an even layer so it will caramelize at the same time. As soon as you see the sugar begin to melt, start moving the pan over the burner to keep the sugar from burning. Tilt the pan from side to side so that the melted sugar runs over the unmelted sugar. Cook until all of the sugar is a light golden grown. Add butter and cook until melted. Add pears and spread evenly in the pan. Pour in rum. Let cook over medium-high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated and the pears are soft but not mushy. They should hold their shape but the tip of a paring knife should easily pierce them. If the pears are still hard when most of the liquid has evaporated, add a few tablespoons of water and continue cooling until the pears are done. Pour the caramelized pears onto a plate.

SALTED CARAMEL APPLE CREPE CAKE

Steps:

• For the apple-cinnamon puree: Puree the roasted apples and their juices in a food processor or blender. Combine the apple puree with the lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened and reduced slightly, about 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature and store in a sanitized jar for up to a month.
• For the salted caramel: Heat the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, until the sugar turns golden. Stir until all of the sugar is dissolved and just starting to turn a lovely amber color.
• Turn heat to low, add the butter and stir to combine. Careful, it'll foam up. Then add the heavy cream, vanilla extract and salt, stirring to combine. You'll cook the sauce for 5 to 10 minutes, until it comes together. It'll take quite a bit of stirring! Let caramel cool to room temperature, pour into a glass jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Pour over everything and anything!
• For the crepes: Pop the flour, both sugars, salt, milk, eggs and melted butter in a large bowl and blend together thoroughly. If at all lumpy, strain.
• Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Lightly coat or spray with vegetable oil and ladle a scoop of the batter into the center of the pan. Tilt the pan, rotating in a circle, to spread the entire crepe out. It should be about 9 inches wide and very thin. Cook until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Set aside on a plate. Cook the remaining batter until you have about 20 crepes.
• For assembly: Place a crepe on a cake platter and spread 3 to 4 tablespoons of the mascarpone over the crepe. Top with another crepe, and spread with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the salted caramel sauce. Top that with another crepe, and spread with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the apple-cinnamon puree. Repeat this process until you've layered 20 crepes.
• Pop the crepe cake in the fridge for at least 3 hours (preferably overnight) to set. When ready to serve, remove from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for about 20 minutes to take the chill off. Sprinkle the top with sea salt and enjoy.

VACHERIN MONT D'OR WITH RIPE PEARS AND DRAGEED HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• To make the drageed hazelnuts, place the sugar in a small saucepan and pour the water around the edge to moisten it completely. Bring this to a boil and then add the hazelnuts. Stir continuously until all the water is cooked away and the nuts are coated with a sugar frosting.
• Turn the heat to medium and continue cooking and stirring to re-caramelize the sugar and make them shiny. As soon as all the sugar has turned to a thin coating of caramel on the nuts, let them cool 30 seconds then dump them onto a slightly greased cool surface like a piece of marble.
• Being careful not to burn yourself, separate them into individual glazed nuts. Let cool. Store in an airtight container.
• On small plates place a few slices of the French bread and pears and place a spoonful of the cheese on the plate. Scatter the hazelnuts around the plate, about 5 or 6 per serving.