Friday, July 23, 2010

Summer Berry Crepes



I found this recipe posted on another Food blog, What's On My Plate.


I got this crepe batter recipe off of Alton Brown's "Good Eats" and have loved it ever since. There are so many fun fillings and flavors you can combine with the crepes which make this recipe great for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert =) I will say, "practice makes perfect". I had to ruin a few crepes before I figured out how to make them just right, so don't give up if you don't get it your first try. The more I make them, the easier it gets.
Also, I would suggest using a large saucepan so you have plenty of area around the outside of the crepe to work with. When I first starting makes crepes, I was using a small 12" saucepan with high sides, and trying the get a spatula underneath the crepe, and then attempt flipping it without tearing it, was nearly impossible unless I had the batter cooked just right. So start off with a bigger pan - you'll thank yourself in the long run.

Summer Berry Crepes

*Crepe batter - Sweet Variation (recipe below)
Butter to coat pan
1 lb. strawberries, sliced
6 oz. blueberries
3 bananas, sliced
2 cups vanilla yogurt
2 cups granola
ground cinnamon

For an even more decadent crepe add:
2 cups chopped pecans
maple syrup (drizzled over top finished crepe just before serving)

Directions
Once you've made your fresh crepes, begin layering: 3-4 Tbsp of yogurt, fresh fruit, granola & then sprinkle cinnamon in the center of each crepe. Gently fold over each side so that they overlap in the middle. Top off Crepe with more fresh fruit or drizzle lightly with more whipped yogurt and granola.

Crepes - Alton Brown

Ingredients
2 large eggs
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup milk
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons melted butter

Directions

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.

Heat a small non-stick pan (**I prefer a large one - Jamie) . Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone. After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.

*Savory Variation Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, spinach or sun-dried tomatoes to the egg mixture.

*Sweet Variation Add 21/2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur to the egg mixture.

Posted by Debi