Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Honey Apricot Crepes !

   Summer is over with its over- abundance of scrumptious fruit that I love, but that doesn't stop me from thinking about apricot crepes, especially since my good friend Sharon just got back from France, where she enjoyed eating yummy crepes ! Sharon asked me for my crepe recipe, so that is motivating me to write about crepes today !
   Since apricots are out of season now, the filling could be made with apples, or fresh or frozen berries or other fruit.
   When my daughters were little, we lived in a house that had a swimming pool and a wonderful, large apricot tree that usually was filled with juicy fruit ! We would go swimming and then grab a few apricots to snack on, the sweet sticky juice running down our hands and faces.              

My three daughters would have friends sleep over now and then, and sometimes I would make apricot crepes for their breakfast.  My daughter Ashley's good friend Allison went home and told her parents that she had  had apricot crepes at our house. Her parents said,"We want some apricot crepes too !" Ha ha, so I made some for them
, which Allison carried over for them !
   In my cooking, I like to use honey or another healthier sweetener instead of refined sugar if possible, so the apricot filling is sweetened with raw honey. These crepes also have a little whole wheat flour in the batter, so hopefully they are a little healthier than having been made with only refined white flour. If desired, crepes can be made in advance and frozen.

                                                          Honey Apricot Crepes

3/4 cup (4 oz/125 g) all purpose (plain) flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups (12 fl oz/ 475 ml) whole milk
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 egg
1 teaspoon Marc de Bourgogne or other brandy or vanilla
1 teaspoon olive oil, light or virgin
1/4 teaspoon salt
butter for frying
powdered (icing) sugar for dusting
1/2 stick butter
4 cups pitted apricots, whole or cut in halves
1/4 cup raw honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
1/4 teaspoon salt

   Turn your oven to 200 degrees for 5 minutes and then turn it off, so the oven is warm. Place a plate inside to hold the finished crepes, and plates you'll use for your guests.
   Put the flour in a medium sized bowl. Break the egg in the center and add the 1/4 teaspoon of salt. With a wire whisk slowly mix in the milk, the brandy or vanilla, and lastly the olive oil. It is best to let the batter rest for a few hours, covered, in a cool place. I don't do this because I want to eat my crepes as soon as possible !
   Melt about 1- 2 teaspoons of butter in an 8-inch (20-cm) skillet, letting it spread evenly over the bottom. When the skillet is hot, pour in about half of a small ladle of the batter, tilting so the mixture spreads evenly to cover the bottom. (A hot skillet will make the crepes look lacey and give them crispy edges !) Let the crepe turn golden brown and in about 40 seconds, turn it over with a spatula and cook for about 30 seconds more. Turn the crepe out and place it on the warm plate in the oven.
   Crepes made in advance, can be placed on a plate and reheated over gently boiling water.

                                                     Filling

   Wash and take the pits out of the apricots. Cut them in half or leave them whole. In a medium saucepan, on medium-low heat, place the butter, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and apricots. Cook the apricots for about 20 minutes until the apricots are soft but not mushy. Taste the filling to see if it needs more honey or spices.  Put 1-2 tablespoons of the filling inside a crepe and roll it up. Place the crepe on a warm plate seam side down, and put some of the filling on top and add some whipped cream if desired.

   Variations...In a small saucepan, dilute the jam of your choice, and add a spoonful of cold water. Bring it to a boil, then remove from the heat. Pour this sauce over the folded crepes and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.
   Or...Roll the crepes up and put a tablespoon of fromage blanc, cream cheese, or creme fraiche in the middle. Place the crepes on a serving platter and pour a thick, smooth puree of blackcurrents or other fruit on top.
   Crepes are also good with chocolate syrup, bananas, and strawberries !
   You also could try making the crepes using half white flour and half whole wheat flour.
   So treat yourself once in awhile to these yummy crepes ! Awwww...Thank you dear Lord for apricots and all the beautiful fruit you give us !!
   This recipe was adapted from "France A Culinary Journey" produced by Weldon Owen Pty Limited.