One of my favorite weekend brunch dishes are crepes. They are great, in part because making the batter the night before isn't just acceptable, it's ideal. Then, in the morning, you can put together some crepes in minutes and focus on the fun part: the fillings.
This time of the year, apples make an ideal breakfast filling for crepes. I like adding cinnamon to both the crepes and the filling, because cinnamon says "autumn" to me. If you are so lucky, you might find yourself with hot apple cider to enjoy alongside, although coffee, tea or juice would be quite delicious as well.
As always, I encourage you to share your recipe ideas and comments. You can always post comments using the forms provided in the articles or email me directly at . Enjoy!
Cinnamon Apple Crepes
- 1 c. plus 2 T. whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 c. all-purpose flour
- 2 T. granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 3 T. plus 1 tsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 4 small baking apples
- 2 T. unsalted butter
- 1-2 T. sugar (depending on how sweet or tart the apples are)
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- Dash of nutmeg
For the crepes, whisk together the milk, eggs, flour, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons of butter, and salt in a large mixing bowl until the batter is mostly smooth but still has some lumps in it, about 1 minute. Let the batter stand in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight (this prevents tough crêpes). Stir the batter before you are ready to cook the crêpes.
Preheat the oven to 250°F.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of butter to a crêpe pan (or a non-stick skillet) and brush to coat the bottom. Heat the pan over moderate heat until it's hot, then pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the skillet, tilting to coat the bottom evenly.
Cook until the underside is pale golden, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, then jerk the skillet to loosen the crêpe and flip the crêpe with a spatula. Cook until the underside is pale golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer the crêpe with a spatula to a work surface, turning it over so that side cooked first is facedown. Transfer it to a heatproof platter and keep it warm in the oven. Make the rest of the crêpes in same manner, transferring to the oven.
For the filling, peel and core the apples. Slice them thinly, but not so thinly that the pieces will break easily - about 1/4 inch thickness.
Melt the butter in a skillet on medium heat until it starts to foam and then sauté the apples, turning them over a few times to coat with the butter, until the apples are soft and tender - about 10 minutes.
Stir in the sugar and the spices and take off the heat. Divide between four warm crepes and serve immediately.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes, plus resting time for the batter