Vanilla Mint Crepes with Grand Marnier Apricot and Cherry Flambe
Ingredients
- For the Crepes
- 2 Large Eggs
- 11/2 cup Light Cream
- 1 cup AP flour
- 2 Tbsp Melted unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pan spray for cooking
- For the Topping
- 1/2 stick Butter
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 cup pitted fresh rainier or other type of cherries
- 1 cup fresh apricots, pits removed and cubed
- 2 oz Grand Marnier
Instructions
- make the crepe batter: Whisk the eggs. Add in sugar and mint and continue whisking. Add the cream and vanilla. Continue whisking. Slowly add in the flour until it is well incorporated and there are no lumps. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.
- Heat a non stick pan over medium heat or use a crepe maker. A flat pan works best. Spray the pan with pan spray and carefully ladle the mix in in a thin layer, turning the pan to get maximum thin coverage. If it is too thick, it will be more of a pancake than a crepe. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute depending on your heat level. It should be golden brown on the bottom. The top should be just about cooked through. Then flip the crepe, either by hand or using a rubber spatula. Stack the crepes when done. repeat this process until all the batter is used up.
- make the flambe: Melt the butter over high heat and stir in the sugar. They will make a caramel syrup type of base. Add in the fruit and stir until well coated. Remove the pan from the heat and add in Grand Marnier. Dip the pan toward the flame and allow the flames to catch. This will result in a bluish flame. Burn off the alcohol and continue to cook about 30 seconds to a minute. The result will be fruit in a caramel syrup.
- Fold the crepes in quarters and arrange on a plate. Spoon the fruit and syrup over the crepes, garnish, and serve hot.
Notes
The crepe making process can be done in several ways. The method described here doesn't require any special equipment. I find that a non stick saute pan works great. If you are more comfortable with a "crepe pan" or crepe making apparatus, feel free. These are usually flat pans or machines that have a flat heated surface. You use a wooden spatula or trowel to smooth out the batter. If your batter is thin enough, you can get similar results from an old school saute pan, though.
As for the color of the crepes. Some people don't want any color at all in their crepes. So, you will want to cook over a lower temperature. I prefer a golden brown color. One side has a nicely marbled coloring. The flip side is pretty much cooked batter with a few brown spots. If you are making stuffed crepes, blintzes, or a manicotti, you probably want less color. For this type of recipe, though, color is good.
To make it easy here, we just spoon the fruit and syrup on top. In classical cooking, the crepes would be reheated in the syrup to evenly coat them. Having larger chunks of fruit in this recipe, makes that less than practical. Again, it's up tp you how you want to present the dish.