RECIPE / RALPH SCHELLING

Matcha mille-crêpe cake

This week Swiss chef Ralph Schelling rustles up a Japanese speciality. Made from skinny pancakes and layers of whipped cream, this dessert takes about an hour to prepare (including cooling time). Feel free to add fresh fruit on top or within the layers for a fresh, seasonal twist. Serves 6-8

• Ingredients:
• 250g plain white flour
• 250ml milk
• 120ml water
• 50g butter, melted
• 4 eggs
• 50g caster sugar
• 1 pinchof salt
• 30g matcha powder (plus extra for sprinkling)
• Oil
• 550g single cream
• 110g icing sugar
• Seeds from one vanilla pod

• Method:
• 1. Mix flour, milk, water, butter, eggs, sugar, salt and matcha powder to form a smooth batter then chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.
• 2. Whip the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla to form stiff peaks and refrigerate until ready to use.
• 3. Heat a little cooking oil in a skillet on a medium heat and fry the batter for a few minutes until it begins to brown and keeps its shape. Turn and repeat until cooked. Do this in batches to make about 15 thin crêpes of about 15cm in diameter and 2mm thick. Refrigerate the crêpes for 15 minutes until cool.
• 4. Begin to layer the crêpes. Evenly spread about 1 tbsp of cream on top of the first crêpe, cover with another and add another layer of cream. Continue until crêpes and cream are used up – don’t add cream to the top layer.
• 5. Finally, sprinkle the cake generously with matcha powder and serve.