Like the dessert itself, the story of this gateau has many layers. Rebecca and Dan Clark are foundational. When all of us were in college, and Dan and Rebecca were dating, Dan taught me (Kate) the entertainment potential of crêpes when he made them for causal get-togethers. Dan had lived in France for a couple of years. His crêpes were delicious and made ordinary evenings into the kinds of warm friendly evenings that you read about in Louise Penny novels. A few years later, when I visited them in San Francisco, Rebecca made a delicious white cake with cream cheese frosting and strawberries, forever cementing in my head the glory of the cream cheese and strawberry pairing.
Julia Child taught me about Gâteau de Crêpes through her wonderful version with raspberry jam and sugared pecans. Dan and Rebecca’s influence led me to pay it heed and create a strawberry version. Now, Easter is the motivation to post this recipe for you lovely people.
In our family, some of us start yearning for strawberries in early spring, before they’ve come into season. Made with jam from strawberries at their peak, this gateau satisfies our strawberry longings without compromising on our desires to honor the seasons. The many layers of Gâteau de Crêpes aux Fraise are festive and satisfying year-round, but they feel special at Easter as a nod to those Catholic and Orthodox traditions that relinquish eggs and dairy during Lent and return to them joyously when honoring the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Gâteau de Crêpes aux Fraises
1 batch Crêpes, about 12 (set aside your favorite one for the top)*
12 ounces strawberry jam (or raspberry, if you prefer)
8 ounces ricotta, room temperature
8 ounces whipped cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt (heaping, but still less than 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Lemon zest, optional
Whip together (we use a handheld mixer) ricotta, cream cheese, sugar, salt, vanilla, and zest, if using.
Place one crêpe on a serving plate, spread it evenly with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the dairy mixture, then top with another crêpe. Spread the second crêpe with 1 to 2 tablespoons of jam, making a thin layer, then top with the next crêpe. Repeat until all of the crêpes have joined the gâteau, with a layer of dairy on the very top.
Chill until serving. We put three toothpicks into the top, then cover with tinfoil. The toothpicks keep the tinfoil from messing with the topping.
To finish the gâteau, you can sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top of each serving. Or, if strawberries are in season, chop them fine with a little sugar and spoon them over the top of each slice.
*You can make and freeze the crêpes several days or even weeks before assembling the gâteau. Assembly takes only ten minutes. For a large audience, consider doubling the recipe to make a really tall cake. Gâteau de Crêpes aux Fraise makes a terrific birthday cake, including when you find yourself staying some place without cake pans.
