Ingredients
For the Crêpes
All-purpose flour — 2 cups (250g)
Granulated sugar — ¼ cup (50g)
Unsweetened cocoa powder — ¼ cup (25g)
Eggs — 6 large
Whole milk — 3 cups (720ml)
Melted butter — 6 tbsp (85g)
Vanilla extract — 2 tsp
For the Chocolate Cream Filling
Heavy cream — 3 cups (720ml)
Dark chocolate, chopped — 12 oz (340g)
Hazelnut paste or Nutella — ½ cup (150g)
Salt — a pinch
For the Chocolate Glaze
Dark chocolate — 8 oz (225g)
Heavy cream — 1 cup (240ml)
Butter — 2 tbsp (30g)
For Decoration (optional but beautiful)
Whole hazelnuts — ½ cup (70g)
Sugar — 1 cup (200g) for spun sugar or caramel toppers
Instructions
The journey begins with the crêpes, thin and delicate, each one destined to become a layer in this tall, elegant cake. The flour, sugar, and cocoa come together in a bowl, while the eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla blend into a silky mixture. When the wet meets the dry, the batter turns smooth like chocolate silk. It rests for a moment, relaxing so the crêpes cook perfectly.
One ladle at a time, the batter melts onto a warm pan, spreading thinly and cooking into soft chocolate sheets. Each one cools on a rack, forming a growing stack—twenty, thirty, even more—each promising height and beauty.
The filling begins with warm cream poured over chopped dark chocolate, melting it into a glossy pool. A spoonful of hazelnut paste swirls in, giving the mixture richness and depth. As it cools, it becomes velvety and thick, ready to sit between the layers.
Now the assembly becomes almost meditative. A crêpe is placed on a plate, then a gentle sweep of chocolate-hazelnut cream. Another crêpe, another sweep, again and again, until the stack stands tall, steady, and magnificent. After a short chill in the fridge, the cake feels firm and ready for its luxurious coat.
The glaze warms quietly on the stove as cream hugs the chocolate, melting it smooth. A small touch of butter gives it shine, and then it cascades over the cake, dripping down the edges in slow, beautiful waves.
To finish, toasted hazelnuts scatter across the top, and caramel-dipped hazelnuts—golden and glassy—stand tall like edible sculptures. The cake rests briefly before cutting, allowing every layer to set into perfection.
When sliced, the cross-section reveals thin chocolate stripes stacked with precision, each bite soft, creamy, and deeply chocolatey.
