NEW YORK CITY — Although Lady M's Mille Crêpes cakes were created by Japanese chefs, the dessert has become an ambassador of New York that's earned acclaim across the globe.

For anyone who hasn't tasted this gem, it's a confection that marries French pastry techniques with Japanese sensibilities. And despite the fact that the dessert retails for $95 per cake, they now sell like hotcakes at their 50 worldwide boutiques.

Why? It's because the Mille Crêpe is so light that it practically defies gravity. And its main components are 20 tissue-thin layers of crêpe separated by equally-thin layers of cream. No wonder Pandaily calls it "the Louis Vuitton" of cakes.

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According to Lady M founder and CEO Ken Romaniszyn, "much time was spent figuring out how to make the perfect thin crêpe, paired with just the right amount of cream in each layer."

From the outset, the idea was to create an edible work of art, he said. "Our signature Mille Crêpes is a true signature for good reason — it was the first Lady M cake ever created, and still our most popular to date. We aimed to develop a cake that was simultaneously elegant and decadent but never too sweet."

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While tongues do wag about how exclusive and decadent the dessert is, many New Yorkers simply consider it one of the city's best occasional indulgences — and a single slice will set you back less than $10 bucks.

"It's beautiful enough for grand celebrations, Romaniszyn explained, "but yet approachable enough to enjoy on an ordinary afternoon. Signature Mille Crêpes is an incredibly thoughtful cake that involves many steps to create. Each golden crêpe layer is handmade and quite delicate. We pair that with soft, gently whipped cream. Layer and layer, repeat and repeat. The beauty is in the simplicity."

But this kind of beauty can't be rushed, he admonishes. The time each one takes can vary, he notes, and will depend "on the flavor and the ingredients involved in each one. We start by making lacey handmade crepes, followed by layers of cream between each crepe."

Their green tea flavor remains among the most popular, but it is not the one that takes the longest to complete. That's the Purple Yam cake. Those require extra time to prepare, he states, "because of the multiple layers of purple yam involved."

Creating the layers of purple yam paste requires baking 50 kilograms of purple yam daily in their New York City kitchen.

Then, he added, "it takes about two hours to bake the yams until they are very soft and tender. Once baked, we peel each yam by hand. While the yams are still warm, we mix them with cream and butter, until it becomes a marvelously smooth and creamy paste. We feature two layers of purple yam paste in the cake. We use pure purple yam powder for the crêpe layers and crumble topping."

Any whiff of pride that comes through when Romaniszyn discusses the cakes is strictly intentional. "Each of our cakes," he vows, "no matter which flavor, is made with the most care and attention, focusing on the details."

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