Toffee Crunch Crepe Cake

This is a cake my son loves!  It is time consuming because you have to make the crepes…but it is well worth the effort.  The flavour is very heavy on vanilla (which I like) but you could switch it to  almond extract for a change.

Crepes
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1/2 cup water
4 eggs
1/4 cup shortening, melted
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vegetable oil

FILLING
2 cups whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla
Skor Toffee bits
icing sugar for garnish

Crepes - combine all ingredients for crepes in a food processor, blender or bowl.  Mix until you have a smooth thin batter.  Cover and let rest 30 minutes.  Heat a non stick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat.  Brush pan lightly with oil.  Add about 1/2 cup batter to pan.  Swirl batter around pan and pour excess back into bowl so crepe will be very thin.  Cook until bottom browns, 2-3 minutes, turn crepe over to cook other side.  Flip out onto plate.  Repeat until all batter is used.  You should have 10 to 14 crepes.

Filling- Whip cream in a large bowl until thick and cream holds its shape.  Beat in vanilla.

Assemble - place one cooled crepe on platter.  Spread a layer of whipping cream and then sprinkle with about 2 tbsp toffee bits.  Continue until crepes/whipping cream are used up.  Finish with a layer of whipping cream and toffee bits.  Sprinkle with icing sugar if desired.

Layered Apple Parfait

A great desert any time of the year, but especially in the fall.  The Mascarpone has great texture and flavour and is lightened up by the whipping cream.  From Food and Drink magazine Autumn 2010.

2 cups rose wine
2 cups apple juice
1 cup granulated sugar
4 star anise (optional)
3 slices ginger, smashed
2 inch piece cinnamon stick
4 apples, peeled, cored and quartered
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup crushed amaretti or ginger cookies
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

1. Combine wine, apple juice, sugar, star anise, ginger and cinnamon stick in a pot large enough to hold apples in 1 layer.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat stirring to make sure sugar is dissolved.  Boil for 2 minutes until well combined.
3. Reduce heat to medium low add apples, and cover with a circle of parchment to help them stay submerged.  Poach for 15 to 20 minutes or until soft and saturated with flavour.  Remove with a slotted spoon.
4. Return heat to high and bring juices to boil.  Boil until reduced to a thick syrupy texture, about 15 to 20 minutes.  There will be about 3/4 cup left.  Return apples to pot to coat with syrup.
5. Combine mascarpone with 1/4 cup syrup.  Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form and stir half of whipped cream into mascarpone.
6. Layer amaretti cookies, mascarpone cream and 2 quartered pieces of apple in a parfait glass and repeat the layers.  Top with remaining whipped cream and drizzle with a little syrup.  Scatter over toasted almonds.

Serves 4

Mini Blueberry Lemon Layer Cakes

These are a delicious, light desert.  Make sure you use fresh blueberries, or if they are not available the best fruit you can find.  Do not use purchased lemon juice for this - you will taste the difference if you use fresh squeezed. From the Food and Drink Summer 2011 magazine

Lemon Curd
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
4 egg yolks
2 eggs
pinch of salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cake
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 tbsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
Mint leaves

1. For the lemon curd, whisk together sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolks, eggs and salt in a large, heatproof bowl.  Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water so the bottom of the bowl is about 1 inch above the surface of the water.  Cook, whisking constantly, for about 10 minutes or until curd is thick and pudding like.  Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla until blended.  Immediately transfer to a cool bowl, place plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate for at least 4 hours until chilled, or for up to 3 days.
2. For the cake, preheat oven to 350 F.  
3. Grease the sides of a 9 x 13 inch metal baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
4. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Beat in eggs, 1 at a time.  Beat in lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla.  Stir in flour mixture alternately with milk, making 3 additions of flour and 2 of milk.  Spread into prepared pan, smoothing top.
5. Bake for about 35 minutes or until tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Let cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes.
6. To assemble cakes, cut cake into 24 squares, then cut each square in half horizontally.  Spread cut side of bottom and cut side of top layers with about 1 tsp lemon curd. Arrange blueberries on bottom layers and replace top layers (cut side down) to sandwich.
7. Just before serving, place cakes on a platter, spread remaining curd on top of cakes and arrange remaining blueberries on top.

Makes 24 mini cakes