PINE NUT & ORANGE
CRESPELLE TOWER
SERVES 10
An absolute showstopper, this pancake
tower is made of layers of crespelle,
coffee-laced chocolate, caramelised
pine nuts and sticky, intense orange.
12 / 3 cups (250g) plain flour
5 eggs, lightly beaten
(^1) / 3 cup (80ml) sunflower oil, plus
extra to fry
900ml milk
6 oranges
300g caster sugar
75g toasted pine nuts
3 heaped tsp instant coffee granules
350ml thickened cream
250g dark (70%) chocolate, finely
chopped, plus extra shaved
to serve
(^1) / 3 cup (40g) pure icing sugar
500g thick Greek-style yoghurt
To make crespelle, combine flour and
1 tsp salt in a bowl, then make a well
in the centre. In a large jug, whisk egg,
oil and 2 cups (500ml) milk. Pour
egg mixture into well and whisk until
smooth. Gradually add remaining 400ml
milk and whisk until a thin batter that
coats the back of a spoon. (Batter
can be used immediately or stored,
covered and chilled, for up to 1 hour.)
Heat a little of the extra oil in an 18cm
non-stick frypan over medium-high
heat. Add^1 / 4 cup (60ml) batter,
swirling the pan to thinly and
evenly cover the base. Cook for
90 seconds or until golden, then
flip and cook for a further 1 minute
or until set. Slide onto a plate and
set aside to cool. Repeat with remaining
extra oil and batter.
To make the orange sauce, finely
grate the zest of 2 oranges and place in
a saucepan. Peel all 6 oranges, discarding
peel, then thinly slice flesh and add to pan
with 200g caster sugar and^1 / 4 cup (60ml)
water. Place over medium heat and cook,
stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until
sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, then
reduce heat to low and cook, swirling the
pan occasionally, for 30 minutes or until
thickened. Pour into a deep-sided tray
and set aside to cool completely.
To make the candied pine nuts, grease
a baking tray and line with baking paper.
Place remaining 100g caster sugar in
a frypan over medium heat and cook,
swirling the pan, until sugar melts. Add
pine nuts, then quickly pour onto the
prepared tray. Set aside for 10 minutes
or until set, then, using a mortar and
pestle, coarsely crush. Set aside.
To make the coffee ganache, place
coffee and cream in a small saucepan
over a low heat and very gently bring to
the boil. Remove from heat and set aside
for 5 minutes or until cooled slightly.
Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and
pour over coffee mixture. Stand, without
stirring, for 1 minute, then stir slowly
until smooth. Set aside.
Sift icing sugar into a bowl and fold
in the yoghurt.
To create the tower, ‘stick’ 1 crespelle
onto a serving plate with a little ganache.
Stack remaining crespelle, alternating
with thin layers of ganache, orange
sauce, sweetened yoghurt and candied
pine nuts. Finish with sweetened yoghurt
and candied pine nuts, then scatter with
shaved chocolate to serve.
JAMIE OLIVER.