Sunday, August 30, 2009

Recipe: Sunday Crepes with Sauteed Apples

crepes with sauteed applesIt is definitely a sweet start to the day and should probably be saved for a Sunday brunch. I grew up eating pancakes and I loved them, but they just don't compare to crepes for a delectable treat on a special Sunday morning (I like to call the second Sunday each month special :)). The crepes combined with the apples and fresh fruit that make them such a treat. We are making sweet crepes, as opposed to a savory crepe you would use for a dinner or with eggs. I have also made this recipe without fail using rice milk and spelt flour (my son doesn't even flinch).

The Recipe: Sunday Crepes with Sauteed Apples

The Sauteed Apples with Syrup:
3 yellow delicious apples (I have also used Granny Smith and Cortlands)
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp butter
2 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt

Crepes
3/4 cups flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Fresh Fruit such as: kiwis, strawberries, raspberries, orange supremes etc...

Peel apples and cut into small wedges, each apple should produce about 12-16 wedges. Combine apples, sugar, cinnamon, salt and butter in a skillet and cook on high heat until sugar and butter are melted. Stir frequently, careful not break the apples. Turn down heat to low and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the apples are nice and soft. You should be left with caramelized apples and some syrup at the bottom of the pan. If you do not have enough syrup or just want more, you can add additional sugar and butter in the same ratio.

For the crepes combine the egg, vanilla and milk in a bowl and whisk in the melted butter, this is so it does not harden in clumps. Whisk in the sugar until dissolved. Shift in the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk the mixture until it is silky smooth. This is the only time I use a non-stick pan in my kitchen (I actually keep it separate from my pots and pans and just pull it out for crepes), but I think it is worth it for ease of use. A pan with rounded sides will also make your life easier. Heat the pan to medium low heat, or to a heat that will melt butter immediately but will not brown the butter. Using a ladle pour about 1/3 cup of batter on one side of a buttered pan and immediately tilt the pan so that the batter forms a thin layer over the bottom the whole bottom. It is better to start with not enough batter and add little bit more if needed that starting with too much batter. The batter will start cooking as soon as it hits the pan. After about 1-2 minutes the crepe will need to be flipped once the bottom start to slightly brown. The challenge to flipping is ensuring that you don't fold the crepe on itself, using a narrow flipper gently slide it under one side until you are completely under the crepe and with one motion flip it over. It should only take 20-30 seconds more until it is ready. Set the crepe on a plate and place a piece of wax paper on top and start your next one. The recipe will make about 6-7 crepes and can be easily doubled.

Plate the crepes by laying the crepe flat on a plate and placing about 6 pieces of sauteed apple in a line down the middle. Fold both sides over to form a roll, add a second crepe to the plate and do the same. On top of the crepes add some more apples with a drizzle of the syrup and the fresh fruit. The fresh fruit adds a beautiful balance to the meal.

3 comments:

Mel @ bouchonfor2.com said...

Gorgeous! Love the fresh fruits :)

Kelly said...

These look terrific!

Angela [YourEverydayMama] said...

I love pancakes, but have had the desire to make crepes, I think this just might be the recipe I was looking for as my 1st attempt!

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