Guava Crepe Cake

I've made a few different crepe cakes, but despite this, it always takes a gazillion years. Really tasty, but long and laborious. Definitely worth at least one try though :D. Traditional mille crepe cakes have 21 crepe layers (but no one will notice if you do less or more :p. This recipe should provide enough batter and pastry cream for up to ~25-30 crepe layers.

Crepes

650 g milk, room temperature!

240 g flour
90 g sugar
4 eggs
50 g butter, melted
70 g guava puree (you don't need fruit puree, but if you do, add a little less milk)

1. Sift flour into a large bowl.

2. Add sugar and mix briefly (I use a whisk).

3. Add in eggs and mix.

4. Add in milk, slowly at a time. Once about half the milk is added and mixed, add the rest and the guava puree.

5. Add melted butter and mix fully.

6. Pour mixture through a sieve. Want runny consistency.

7. Cling wrap and throw into fridge for at least 30 minutes. Longer is better.
8. After mixture has become cold, take a pan and on low to medium heat, add a small amount of batter. It takes some trial and error to figure out the right about to cover your pan.

9. When the edges of the crepe become dry (a minute or so), flip over and cook for a short while longer (<1 minute).

10. Repeat.

11. To get a consistent size, place a bowl or something circular over the crepe and cut off excess scraps.

12. Let crepes cool completely before assembling.

 Pastry Cream
4 large egg yolks
37 g cornstarch
340 g milk
100 g sugar
70 g guava (or more, to taste) 225 g heavy cream
10 g powdered sugar

You need to make a custard and a whipped cream. Take your large bowl and whisk that you're going to make the whipped cream with and throw that into the fridge before you begin. You want it cold.

1. First prepare custard component. In a large bowl, combine egg yolks and cornstarch.

2. In a saucepan, high heat, combine milk, sugar, and puree. [NOTE, if you're using a different fruit that's acidic, it will curdle so instead fold puree into custard.]

3. Bring to boil and remove from heat.

4. While whisking constantly, slowly add to bowl with yolks and cornstarch. You are 

tempering the egg yolks so that they won't scramble.

5. Return the mixture to the saucepan on high heat.

6. Bring to rolling boil, while whisking/ mixing constantly. The mixture will become custard  like.

7. Sieve through a fine mesh into a bowl and cover the bowl with cling wrap. Make sure to press it directly onto the custard to avoid condensation.

8. Chill.

9. Now prepare whipped cream component. Take out the chilled bowl, whisk, and cream. 

10. Add cream and powdered sugar and whisk until firm peaks.

11. Take out guava custard and whisk a bit to loosen it up. Add a small amount of whipped cream to lighten the mixture even more.

12. Slowly fold in the rest of the whipped cream, making sure not to overfold (will deflate the cream).

Assembly

1. Assemble the cake on whatever you want it to be served on. These cakes are difficult to transfer.

2. Lay down a crepe and then add some pastry cream. Spread it out to an even amount.

3. Add another crepe. Then some more pastry cream.

4. Repeat.

5. Every few crepes, use something that's flat to press down onto the cake to help even it 

out. The edge of the cake will inevitably have less pastry cream than the center.

6. Once assembled, refrigerate for a few hours (will make it so much easier to cut into).

7. Top with powdered sugar.

8. Enjoy!