SANDRA'S APPLE WALNUT CHEESE-FILLED CREPES over CUSTARD

A superbly decadent dessert that you and
anyone you serve it to will adore...

Servings: (8 total = 2 ea.)
Prep: 30 mins. |
Stand: 30 mins. |
Cook: 30 mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Custard
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Pinch of kosher salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

***Cheese Filling
1 (16 oz. container) ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

***Apple Walnut Filling
--[Or, click here for optional: Blueberry-Cinnamon Filling]
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
2 cups of fresh granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and cubed small
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cornstarch

***Sweet Crepes
1 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon fresh lemon zest
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup club soda
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, plus 3 tablespoons for cooking crepes

***Garnish:
---4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, sifted

METHOD

In a small mixing bowl, add the flour and salt and make a well in the center. Add the remaining ingredients, including 3 tablespoons of melted butter, and whisk together to combine. The mixture should be a loose batter. If the mixture is too thick, whisk in a bit of milk. Set batter aside for 30 minutes to set at room temperature.

Meanwhile, make the custard in a small saucepan, by whisking sugar, cornstarch and salt together until well blended. Whisk in the milk and cook over low heat until almost boiling, then remove from the heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and vanilla until well blended. Add a couple of tablespoons of the hot milk from the saucepan and whisk to temper the egg, and then add the tempered egg mixture to the rest of the warm milk in the pan; whisking to combine. Cook over low heat until the sauce begins to thicken (do not boil). Let the sauce cool slightly while making the filling, sauce, and assembling the crepes.

For the apple walnut filling, combine butter, brown sugar, and chopped walnuts in a small saucepan, and cook while stirring for 3 minutes. Add apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, vanilla, and cornstarch. Heat while stirring until filling thickens and apples are tender, but not mushy. Let filling cool completely.

For the cheese filling, mix all ingredients together in a small bowl, and set aside.

Melt the 3 remaining tablespoons of butter in a small glass bowl in the microwave. Place a small non-stick skillet over medium heat, and with a paper towel, dip into butter and wipe to lightly coat skillet. Keep the buttered paper towel close by, as you will need it before making further crepes.

Begin making crepes. Fill a ladle, almost about 3 tablespoons full, with batter and pour it into the preheated pan, while tipping and rolling the pan to evenly coat the bottom. When the edges of the crepe begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and the bottom begins to brown a little, about 1 minute, use a spatula to loosen the crepe, and turn over to cook it for about 1 minute longer on the other side. Remove the crepe from the pan between parchment- platter and let cool. Stack the crepes as they are cooked between wax paper square squares on platter to prevent sticking together. Repeat this process, until all the batter is used, wiping the pan with your paper towel and melted butter, as needed.

To make individual crepe desserts (allowing 2 per serving), spoon 2 tablespoons of the custard sauce on each dessert plate, spread 2 tablespoons of the cheese filling in a line down the center of each crepe and along with apple and walnut filling and roll up, and sprinkle with sifted confectioners' sugar. Repeat until all 4 plates are finished, and then serve. – Enjoy!