Beer Caramel
- In a pot, bring the sugar, water and corn syrup to a boil. Cook without stirring until an amber caramel forms. Off the heat, gradually whisk in the beer and butter. Watch out for splattering.
- Bring the caramel back to a boil and cook until smooth. Whisk in the 35% cream. Place a candy thermometer in the centre of the pot and simmer over medium-high heat, without stirring, until the thermometer reads 234°F (112°C). Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely. Set aside.
White Chocolate Whipped Cream
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine ¾ cup (180 ml) of the 35% cream with the chocolate and cinnamon. Heat in the microwave oven for 30 seconds at a time or until the chocolate has melted. Let sit for 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in the remaining cream. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or until the cream has chilled completely.
Crepes
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Add the eggs and beer. Whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk.
- Heat an 8-inch (20 cm) non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, brush with butter. For each crepe, pour about ¼ cup (60 ml) of the batter into the centre of the skillet. Tilt the skillet from side to side to spread the batter evenly to cover the entire bottom of the skillet. Once the edge of the crepe easily comes away from the skillet and starts to brown, flip over using a spatula. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove from the skillet.
- Place the crepes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper as you go. You will obtain about 14 crepes. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool at room temperature.
Assembly
- Whisk the white chocolate whipped cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Place one crepe on a serving dish. Using a spatula, cover the crepe with ½ cup (125 ml) of the white chocolate whipped cream. Drizzle with about 2 tsp (10 ml) of the caramel. Top with another crepe and cover with the same quantity of whipped cream and caramel. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, finishing off with a crepe. You will have a total of 12 to 14 layers of crepes. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle icing sugar over the top of the cake. Serve with the remaining caramel. The cake will keep for 1 day, covered, in the refrigerator.
Chef’s tip
Choose a slightly bitter beer to balance out the flavour of the white chocolate and caramel. Although beer is becoming a more common ingredient in crepe recipes, the revelation here is how well it complements the caramel.