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You can make delightful summer desserts with a simple crepe mix. You don’t have to turn the oven on and you can use the fruits of summer.
And they’re easy. If you can make pancakes, you can make crepes. There are really only two differences:
When you scoop the batter into the hot pan, swirl it so that the batter covers the bottom of the pan.
The crepe is soft so it doesn’t turn like a pancake; it’s kind of a wrap and roll operation. Stick a thin spatula under the crepe and twist your wrist and the crepe will turn and fall into place. Easy.
Now, look what you can make!
The crepes below are made with raspberries. They’re called Berry Vanilla Custard Crepes. Use fresh berries. These are made with raspberries but you can also use strawberries or blueberries. If you don’t want to make the custard, use vanilla pudding from your grocer.
Then make these simple apple pie crepes. Chunks of gingersnaps are tucked in with the apple filling. These are made with an apple pie filling and gingersnap cookie pies. They are topped with Caramel Whipped Cream and a caramel sauce. To make the whipped cream, substitute brown sugar for the granulated sugar in ordinary whipped cream and caramel flavor for the vanilla.
Then make Banana Ice Cream Crepes. Yes, you can fill your crepes with ice cream and bananas–kind of banana split crepes. These are filled with scoops of ice cream and banana slices and drizzled with caramel and chocolate sauces. They are topped with vanilla whipped cream.
If you have fresh peaches, make the Caramel Peach Crepes at the top. That’s caramel whipped cream on top of the peaches.
Berry Vanilla Custard Crepes
A silky, smooth vanilla custard makes a wonderful filling for crepes. In this case, we made raspberry crepes but you can substitute strawberries or blueberries. If it’s peach season, make crepes with fresh peaches. We made a raspberry sauce to drizzle over the crepes.
For the crepes
Mix the batter according to package directions.
Heat a nine-inch crepe pan on medium high heat. Brush with butter.
Measure batter into the hot pan. Immediately tilt and rotate the pan so that the batter covers the bottom of the pan in a thin layer.
Cook until bubbles appear and the bottom of the crepe is a nice even, golden brown.
Use a pallet knife or thin, sturdy spatula to turn the crepe. Cook the second side only until it is a blonde color, not as dark as the first side.
Remove the crepe to a sheet of parchment paper or waxed paper and repeat with the rest of the batter.
For the custard
1 cup milk
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
5 large egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
To scald, bring the milk and cream mixture to just below a simmer. Do not boil. Set aside.
Mix the cinnamon, egg yolks, sugar, and salt together. Immediately drizzle in the hot milk mixture while whisking constantly. (This tempers the eggs.)
Place the milk mixture back on low heat and stir in the tempered egg mixture. A silicone or high heat spatula is best for stirring so that you can scrape the egg mixture from the bottom of the pan.
Continue stirring and cooking until the temperature reaches 170 degrees. Do not overcook. Remove from the heat and set in a sink of cold water. Stir several times to assure that the custard cools evenly.
Pour the hot custard through a strainer to ensure a smooth custard. Cover with plastic, pressing the plastic tight against the custard, and refrigerate until chilled.
For the raspberry sauce
You can make raspberry sauce in one of two ways: Mix a handful of fresh or frozen raspberries into warmed raspberry syrup. Or follow this recipe:
1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1 cup individually frozen raspberries
Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Gradually add the water, stirring with a whisk. Continue stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring regularly. You should have a thick sugar syrup. Add the raspberries.
To assemble your crepes
Fill your crepes, folding as desired, with the vanilla custard.
Spoon raspberry sauce on the crepes.
Top with whipped cream.
There are all sorts of possibilities for this delicious treat!
About the Author
Dennis Weaver has burned food from Point Barrow, Alaska, to Miami, Florida. He is the founder of The Prepared Pantry in Rigby, Idaho. He loves to help people bake and shares his vast collection of cooking and baking knowledge on his blog as well as in his e-books and magazines. Dennis lives in Rigby, Idaho, with his wife, Merri Ann. They have five wonderful children and six beautiful granddaughters.