Dessert Crepes

This is another recipe that I learned how to make by observing someone. One of my dear friends is a lab rat diabetes researcher by day and a crepe-making scientist by night. Love brought him all the way from Paris to Denver. (It really is a really great love story. An American girl and a French boy meeting in a guest house in Kathmandu almost ten years ago and are now living in the Mile High City.)

He made this for us after a long day out on the slopes. I stood in the kitchen and observed his methods. We did not plan ahead so the batter did not rest before cooking in the crepe pan. (Who would have thought our friend's mountain home had a crepe pan?) I asked questions and he patiently answered them. He said ideally the batter should rest for a few hours in order for the flour to absorb all the liquid. The second time he made this, it was dessert at a dinner party. He mixed up the batter ahead of time and brought his crepe pans to the dinner party and cooked them fresh. He even made fresh raspberry preserves. The French man who refuses to eat butter and cream sure does make a good crepe.

Below is my version of this delicious "pancake."

Sweet Crepe Batter:
makes 8-12 crepes

2 cups milk
3 large eggs
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:
1. In a blender, combine the milk, egg, flour, salt, sugar, and melted butter and blend until smooth. Transfer to a container, cover and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours.



2. In a crepe pan (or large fry pan) over medium heat melt 1 teaspoon butter to coat the pan evenly. Pour 1/3 cup batter in heated pan. Spread the batter with a spatula. Cook until crepe is golden underneath, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip crepe and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to plate. Repeat to make 8 to 12 crepes.

Filling Ideas:

Today's fillings:

- Nutella and bruleed bananas (Sprinkle sliced bananas with sugar and brulee them using a kitchen torch. Spread nutella on crepe and fill with bruleed bananas)

- Strawberry, sugar, and chocolate sauce (Slice strawberries and sprinkle with sugar. Fill crepe with strawberries, fold or roll and drizzle with chocolate sauce.)

- Raspberry preserves (Spread half of crepe with raspberry jam and fold into quarters.)

- Lemon and sugar (Squeeze lemon on crepe, sprinkle with sugar and fold into quarters.)

The bf slicing strawberries:

Folding crepes:
There are several ways to fold crepes.

Crepes Suzette Fold:
Fold in half and in half again. I like this type of fold for flatter fillings like raspberry jam or lemon & sugar.




Gateaux Fold:
This is really not a fold but a stack with fillings in between the layers. Lay a crepe on plate, spread with filling, top with another crepe, spread with filling, repeat as many times as you want.


Burrito or Egg Roll Fold:
Fill and fold like a burrito. This is better for chunkier fillings.

Envelope fold:
Place filling in the middle but not all the way to the edge. Fold edges in and then fold top and bottom in like an envelope.



The Roll Fold:
Place filling down the center all the way to the edges. Roll into a tube. I like this fold with strawberries. I roll a few up, place them on a plate and then drizzle with chocolate sauce.