A dish is very near to my heart as it is one of my first memories of food from my mérère and mother making for me in their restaurants and in this antique French kitchen that I made this video in. The scents and aroma bring me back every time I prepare them. This recipe is truly a feast for your palate as delicate, sweet cherries are in a sauce toping a crêpe that is filled with a citrus sweet cream cheese filling. French comfort food at it’s finest for me.
The Recipe!
Crêpes
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2/3 cup of unbleached flour
3/4 cup of milk
Few drops of real vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of honey
pinch of salt
2 large eggs
Combine flour, eggs, honey, salt, vanilla and 1/2 of the milk in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the rest of the milk and continue whisking until batter is smooth.
Heat a skillet on low to medium heat and melt a tablespoon of butter, tilting the pan so that the butter coats the bottom. Add bout 3 tablespoons of batter to the pan and tilt it quickly to spread the batter thinly. Cook about 1 minute one side and 3o seconds for the the other side. Make these ahead before the cherry sauce and cream filling.
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Cherry Sauce
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1/2 lb of pitted cherries (see video for fast method of pitting)
1 cup of water
1-2 tablespoons of honey (depending on desired sweetness but start with 1 tablespoon)
1/4 cup of sherry
Boil all of the ingredients above on a low to medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sauce is reduced and thickened, about 1/2 hour. Thicken with a roux of 1 teaspoon of flour and one two teaspoons of cold water blended well and whisk in briskly as it is drizzled in the pan.
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Sweet Citrus Cream Cheese Filling
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1 cup of WHIPPED cream cheese
Zest of 1/2 half of a lime
Juice of one lime
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
3 tablespoons of honey
Pinch of salt
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and blend well with a wooden spoon.
Place a few dollops of the sweet cream cheese in the middle of the crêpe, and roll it up. Place in the crêpe skillet on a low heat with a little butter. Let the center warm up, about 2 minutes. You can put several in one pan at a time. Place in individual plates and top with cherry sauce. Garnish with a sprig of thyme.
