Method

• 1.
  To make the crepe batter, warm butter, salt and milk in a small heavy-based saucepan over low heat until butter has melted.
• 2.
  Place flour in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Break the eggs into the well and whisk in some of the flour. Add warm milk mixture, whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before cooking. The consistency should be like thin cream; if not, thin with more milk.
• 3.
  For the raspberry curd, puree the raspberries in a blender, then press through a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl, pressing firmly to remove all the seeds to extract as much of the puree as possible, you will need 1 cup (250ml) raspberry puree. Soak gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes to soften.
• 4.
  Squeeze to remove any excess water and drop into a small bowl with 1 tbs boiling water, stirring to dissolve. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until well combined but not frothy. Pour yolk mixture into a heavy-based stainless-steel saucepan over medium heat, add butter, dissolved gelatine and raspberry puree.

• 5.
  Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes. As soon as the first bubbles appear, remove from heat while still stirring. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap, cool.
• 6.
  For the cream layer, soak gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes to soften. Squeeze to remove excess water and drop into a small bowl with 1 tbs boiling water, stirring to dissolve. Add dissolved gelatine mixture to the cream, then whisk in a stand mixer until it holds firm peaks. Set aside until needed.
• 7.
  Heat a crepe pan over medium heat, then wipe with a piece of buttered paper towel. Lift the pan from the heat, ladle in 1/4 cup batter, then swirl quickly to spread it thinly to the edge of the pan.
• 8.
  Return the pan to the heat and cook for 1 minute to set the base. After 1 minute, lift the outer edge of the crepe with a flexible spatula and flip the crepe, using your fingers or spatula. Cook the other side for less than 1 minute or until just cooked. Immediately slide the crepe onto a clean dry tea towel. Repeat with remaining batter. You need the best 7 crepes.
• 9.
  To assemble, place the base of a 20cm springform cake pan on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Cut out a template of the base on baking paper.
• 10.
  Cut the crepes to the exact size of the template. Start the layering process on the base of the cake pan, first with 1 crepe, one-third of the curd, another crepe, one-third of the cream, then another crepe.
• 11.
  Repeat layering the remaining curd, crepes and cream, finishing with a crepe. Place the side of the springform pan in position, close firmly, then refrigerate the cake for 1 hour for it to firm and the cream and curd to set.
• 12.
  Meanwhile, make the ‘icing’. Process and strain raspberries as you did your raspberry curd raspberries, you will need 100ml raspberry puree. Soak the gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes to soften. Heat 2 tbs raspberry juice in a small heavy-based saucepan over high heat, bring to boiling point, remove from heat.
• 13.
  Squeeze excess liquid from gelatine and add to hot juice. Combine gelatine mixture with remaining juice and raspberry puree, then transfer to a stainless-steel bowl.
• 14.
  Set the bowl over a second stainless-steel bowl containing crushed ice or ice cubes. Gently turn the top bowl, stirring mixture gently – you do not want to create bubbles.
• 15.
  When mixture starts to thicken and look syrupy, gently pour ‘icing’ over cake and return to refrigerator to set for another hour to overnight.
• 16.
  Cut the cake into wedges using a knife dipped in hot water, then serve with extra raspberries on the side, if desired.