1st Blogiversary & Rose Strawberry Hibiscus Mille Crepe Cake

What a year it has been! Today’s my blog’s 1st birthday! I can’t believe how much has happened within the past year.

I’m celebrating with a Rose Strawberry HIbiscus Mille Crepe Cake!

JOURNALING IN MY EARLY DAYS

What started out as a hobby that I didn’t take too seriously has now become such an exciting and creative outlet for me. I know I’ve always enjoyed blogging.

Even when I was a child, I would journal incessantly… I don’t know how many diaries I kept, but there was a stack before I left for University. And while I was still in University, I moved over from paper journaling to online “blogging.” 

MY FORAY INTO BLOGGING/INSTAGRAM

However, after I graduated and had a proper job, I didn’t have time to blog, but still wanted to share something with the world. So I resorted to Instagram. 6 years ago, it was *really* casual — literally snap a photo in that instant and post. (How times have changed)!

I’d post photos of my food and it was nice to get encouragement and likes, but then people kept asking for recipes and I didn’t have a way of getting them out there.

ACTUALLY BUYING A DOMAIN

So after years of playing with idea of starting an actual blog, with a real domain (not “blogspot,” etc), it finally came to fruition last year when I decided that I was going to jump in with both feet. And boy am I ever glad I did.

I’ll admit, it was a quite overwhelming learning how to use WordPress, SEO, coding, and designing the blog. And I’m still learning new tech things each day. Thank goodness for plugins! It’s a constant learning, which is great for my Mom-bogged brain 😉

BEHIND THE SCENES

And sticking with the Mom theme, don’t let it fool you — it’s a LOT of work to maintain a blog. From conceptualizing to testing recipes, shooting, styling, and editing — it’s more than a day’s work.

Add some little kids to the mix, and you’re faced with a day-to-day balancing act to get household chores done, kids to school, and maybe a shower in for yourself. BUT, as I’ve told my husband before, to me, it doesn’t feel like work.

It’s something I feel happy to do — pushing myself to be more creative, to continue to learn things (like photography, technology, marketing), and to find and use my talent for good in this big wide world.

CONNECTING WITH THE FOOD COMMUNITY

The best part of this whole blogging experience is seeing my recipes being enjoyed with the food community, and connecting with fantastic foodies and blogger friends online.

Speaking of which, thanks to @whatannieseating, @squaremealroundtable, @joyosity and a bunch of other collaborators (90+!), they’ve chosen to showcase strawberries as the special ingredient with this amazing #strawberriesarethejam collaboration.

MAKING MY ROSE STRAWBERRY HIBISCUS MILLE CREPE CAKE

I made a Rose Strawberry Hibiscus Mille Crepe Cake in honour of my little humble blog’s 1st birthday. Imagine layers of light, thin, rose-flavoured crepes coupled with a robust strawberry hibiscus cream.

This is a showstopping dessert that’s perfectly pink for Valentine’s Day or for any celebration!

In fact, this combination was so delicious that my sons both devoured their slices. Also, my husband remarked that this mille crepe was one of the best he’s had! 😀

Here’s to the next year and more delicious recipes to come! What would you like to see more of? Less of? And if you make this cake, let me know — I’d love to see your recreation! Tag me @siftandsimmer on Instagram or leave a comment below. 🙂

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Rose Strawberry Hibiscus Crepe Cake

A whimsical mille crepe cake flavoured with floral flavours of rose, strawberry and hibiscus.

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Keyword affogato, cake, hibiscus, mille crepe, rose, strawberry

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Chilling Time 4 hours

Total Time 6 hours 30 minutes

Servings 8

Author Michelle | Sift & Simmer

Ingredients

Crepes

• 1 C + 3 T milk
• 3 eggs
• 3 T oil
• ¾ C flour
• pinch salt
• ¼ C sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla optional
• 1 T rose water
• oil for greasing the frying pan

Strawberry Hibiscus Puree

• 1 ½ C strawberries fresh or frozen
• ½ C hibiscus tea 1 tsp hibiscus flowers steeped in ½ C of hot water
• 2 T sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Pastry Cream

• 200 ml whole milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 50 g sugar
• 1 T cornstarch
• 1 T flour
• ½ tsp vanilla

Whipped Cream

• ¾ C heavy whipping cream
• 1 T powdered sugar

Instructions

Make the Crepes

• Combine all the ingredients together in a blender. Blend until smooth.
• Cover and let sit for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.
• When ready to make the crepes, remove batter from fridge.
• Use a wooden spoon and stir the mixture.
• Heat up a small 5" frying pan and grease with a little oil.
• Pour about 2 T of batter into 5" frying pan.
• Let it cook over low heat, about 1-2 minutes, flip, and continue cooking for another minute.
• Remove to a wire rack to cool.
• Repeat with the remaining batter.
• Ensure crepes are completely cool before stacking upon each other.

Strawberry Hibiscus Puree

• In a small sauce pan, add all of the ingredients and cook over low-medium heat until thickened to a jam-like consistency.
• Stir periodically. It should take about 30 minutes to reduce to about a ¼ C of puree.

Pastry Cream

• In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks with the sugar and beat with a whisk until light and yellow. Add the corn starch and flour to the mixture and mix well.
• In a small saucepan, warm up the milk over medium heat.
• When the milk is almost about to boil, reduce the heat and gradually add the milk to the eggs while whisking the eggs. Be careful not to scramble the eggs.
• Once the egg mixture has been warmed through, add it back to the saucepan and whisk over low heat until thickened.
• When the pastry cream has thickened enough (you can draw a line on the back of a spoon and it will hold its shape), place the mixture through a sieve (to remove any lumps) and into a clean bowl.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator.

Whipped Cream

• Place a wire whisk and glass bowl into the refrigerator to chill 20 minutes beforehand.
• Remove the whisk and bowl from refrigerator.
• Add the cold whipping cream and sugar to the bowl.
• Whisk until soft peaks. Set aside.

Assembly

• Make the Strawberry Hibiscus Cream by folding in the whipped heavy cream into the pastry cream.
• Use a spatula and take about ¼ C of whipped cream to lighten up the pastry cream.
• Add the remainder of the whipped cream to the pastry cream and fold it in so that no white streaks are visible.
• Next, fold in the strawberry hibiscus puree to the whipped cream/pastry cream mixture.
• Taking 1 crepe at a time, place onto a clean cake board or plate.
• Add a layer of the Strawberry Hibiscus cream, place another crepe on top and repeat.
• Cover the cake with plastic wrap and set to chill in the fridge overnight.
• Serve mille crepe cake chilled.

FOOD BLOGGERS PARTAKING IN #strawberriesarethejam

And here are the other bloggers partaking in #strawberriesarethejam roundup!

Square Meal Round Table’s Roasted Balsamic Strawberry Pavlova

The Cooking of Joy’s Strawberry Matcha Cream Cheese Tart

This Healthy Table’s Strawberry Tahini Shortcake

Flours in Your Hair’s Strawberry Milk Donuts

The Wood and Spoon’s Strawberry Icebox Pie

Smart in the Kitchen’s Rustic Strawberry Galette

The Herb and Spoon’s Strawberry-Jam Filled Brioche Donuts

Better with Biscuit’s Strawberry Cobbler

My Kitchen Love’s Strawberry Rhubarb Tart

Sift and Simmer’s Rose Strawberry Hibiscus Mille Crepe Cake

What Great Grandma Ate’s No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars (Paleo, Vegan)

A Modest Feast’s Greek Yogurt With Crispy Quinoa and Roasted Strawberries

Hola Jalapeno’s Strawberry Pink Peppercorn Margarita

Worthy Pause’s Strawberry-Basil Shrub Cocktail

Hot Dishing It Out’s Panna Cotta with Strawberry Jelly

Figs & Flour’s Shrimp Tacos with Strawberry Apricot Salsa

Pie Girl Bakes’ Strawberry Ginger Pie

Crumb Top Baking’s Strawberry Chia Jam Oat Bars

The Gourmandise School’s Strawberry Pistachio Salad

Tiny Kitchen Caper’s Strawberries and Cream Pound Cake

Cook Til Delicious’ Mini Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Ganache

Something New For Dinner’s Watermelon, Tomato and Strawberry Salad with Burrata

A Spicy Perspective’s Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake

Easy and Delish’s Strawberry Brigadeiros

Plays Well with Butter’s Strawberry Salad with Goat Cheese, Grilled Chicken, & Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Katherine in Brooklyn’s Roasted Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream

Sugar Salt Magic’s Strawberry Mousse Tart

The Healthy Sins’ Coconut Flour Crepes Topped with Fresh Strawberries and Coconut Yogurt

Lemon Thyme and Ginger’s Strawberry Basil No Churn Ice Cream

Jessie Sheehan Bakes’ Strawberry Basil Turnovers

Bavette Meat & Provisions’ Pickled Green Strawberries

Rezel Kealoha’s Apple Cider Rose Poached Strawberries with Thyme Flowers

Made from Scratch’s Roasted Strawberry and Basil Ice Cream

Eat Cho Food’s Strawberry Basil Glazed Donuts

What’s Karen Cooking’s Strawberry Eton Mess

More Icing Than Cake’s Strawberry, Balsamic & Black Pepper Babka

Well Seasoned Studio’s Classic Vanilla Layer Cake with Mascarpone Buttercream and Fresh Strawberries

Farm & Coast Cookery’s Strawberry & Thyme Shortcake

Marianne Cooks’ Strawberry Madeleines

Clean Plate Club’s Mini Strawberry Bundt Cakes with Lemon Glaze

My Berkeley Kitchen’s Strawberry Kale Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

The Cinnaman’s Rose Hibiscus Strawberry Icebox Pie

Prickly Fresh’s Strawberry Burrata Kale Salad with Pistachio & Lemon Vinaigrette

Maren Ellingboe’s Angel Food Cake with Whipped Cream & Strawberries

Baking the Goods’ Mini Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes

Fufu’s Kitchen’s Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches