Pandan Crepe Cake with Coconut
The traditional buche de Noel reinvented with tropical coconut and pandan flavours. Decorated to look like a real yule log.
Equipment
- Crepe pan
- Silicone mat
- 1 microwaveable plastic cup
Ingredients
Crêpe Batter
- 8 eggs, large
- 640 grams milk (2 ¾ cups)
- 120 grams sunflower oil (½ cup)
- 2-3 teaspoons pandan extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 400 grams all purpose flour (2 ½ cups)
- 30 grams corn starch (¼ cup)
- 10 grams salt (1 ½ teaspoon)
Coconut Filling
- 150 grams shredded coconut (1 ½ cups)
- 100 grams soft palm sugar, known as gula melaka (½ cup)
- 100 grams coconut milk (½ cup)
- 1 batch vanilla pastry cream
Vanilla Pastry Cream
- 500 grams milk (2 cups)
- 3 egg yolks, large
- 60 grams sugar (⅓ cup)
- 30 grams corn starch (4 tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 50 grams unsalted butter (3 ½ tablespoons)
Microwave Moss Cake
- 30 grams flour (¼ cup)
- 4 grams baking powder (1 teaspoon)
- 16 g sugar (4 teaspoons)
- 25 g honey (3 ½ teaspoons)
- 1-2 drops green food colouring
Chocolate Ganache
- 200 g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids (1 ¼ cups)
- 100 g heavy (double) cream (½ cup)
Chocolate Tree Bark
- 200 g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids (1 ¼ cups)
Extra
- berries
- icing sugar
- cocoa powder
Instructions
Making the crêpes
- Whip up the eggs with a little salt until lightly frothy. Next, add the milk, coconut milk and oil, mixing to combine.
- Add the flour and cornstarch and mix well to combine. Sieve the mixture to remove any flour lumps.
- Divide the batter into two parts, then in one of them add the pandan paste. If needed, add some green food colour to achieve the desired shade of green. In the other batter add the vanilla extract.
- Pre-heat a crepe pan and add a drop of vegetable oil. Add a little bit of batter with a ladle, rotating the pan to spread the batter evenly (and thinly). Cook over low-medium heat, then flip over on the other side.
- Repeat the same process with all the batter, until you have roughly 30-40 thin crepes. Make sure the crepes are covered with a lid after they are cooked, so they stay soft.
Coconut Filling
- In a medium saucepan, add the palm sugar and shredded coconut. Cook over low-medium heat until caramelised, dark brown in colour. Set aside for later use.
- Follow my detailed guide to prepare the Vanilla Pastry Cream. Let it cool completely before using.
- Combine the caramelised coconut and vanilla pastry cream, mixing well to combine.
Microwave Moss Cake
- In a bowl whip up the egg with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the honey and food colouring and mix to combine. Sieve in the flour and baking powder, folding it into the egg without deflating the air.
- Divide the batter into 3 separate plastic cups, filling each ⅓ of the way. Microwave for 2 minutes or until cooked. Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes, then cut the plastic cup to remove the cake in one piece.
Chocolate ganache
- Chop up the chocolate finely, then place it in a bowl.
- Pour hot heavy cream over the chocolate, then let it sit for 5 minutes. Combine the ganache with a spatula, until the chocolate is fully dissolved.
- Let the mixture cool down to room temperature before using.
Chocolate Tree Bark
- Finely chop the chocolate, the place it in a bowl in the microwave. Melt over 30 seconds initially, afterwards mixing with a spatula. Microwave in increments of 15 seconds, mixing after each turn to help the chocolate melt. Stop microwaving once there are small lumps of unmelted chocolate. Mix with the spatula for a few minutes until the chocolate is fully melted.
- Spread the melted chocolate on a silicone mat or a piece of baking sheet, spreading it thinly with a spatula. Let the chocolate set for 1-2 minutes.
- Use a rough brush to create a bark texture, whilst the chocolate is still pliable.
- Set aside to firm up for 20-30 minutes or place in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Break the chocolate into smaller pieces, 2-3 inches long.
Assembling the Crepe Cake
- Wrap a thin rolling pin or wooden dowel in some parchment paper, securing it with tape. Wrap one crepe around it, rolling it tightly.
- Spread a thin layer of the coconut filling over another crepe, then wrap it over the previous crepe on the rolling pin. Keep going, alternating the green and white crepes to create distinct layers.
- Once all the crepes have been rolled on, cover in cling film and wrap tightly to compress the crepes. Make sure the crepes are fully covered and tucked in under the cling film. Freeze the yule log overnight, then remove from the freezer 2-3 hours before filling it.
- When the yule log cake has unfrozen slightly, remove it from the dowel. The hole in the middle should hold its shape well once removed.
- Whip up the coconut creme pat with a mixer, to soften it up, then place in a piping bag. Fill the hole with the coconut creme pat filling. Press down with a spatula to ensure the cream goes in all the way to the middle. Wrap in cling film once more, then let chill for 2-3 hours, to allow the cream to set.
- Once chilled, cut off the ends of the buche de Noel with a sharp knife, so you have a clean cut. Cover the yule log with chocolate ganache, creating a texture with the spatula.
- Break the chocolate into smaller shards, then attach onto the chocolate ganache. Cover the log all the way around, then sprinkle some cocoa powder on top.
- Place small pieces of the microwave moss cake on the buche, using a little chocolate ganache if needed. Sprinkle the biscuit moss soil over it and at the base. Decorate with forest berries, then sprinkle some icing sugar on top for a winter feel.
- Serve chilled with a side of vanilla ice cream. Merry Christmas!
Notes
Nutrition
Calories: 640kcal
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