Puffed Crepes with Maple Lemon Mascarpone Butter

Inspiration:  Pannekoeken (Dutch pancakes) and Yorkshire Pudding


It took me three tries to get these right.  Sometimes, what seems like the easiest recipes can be the most difficult to perfect.

Time:  Active time: 10 minutes, cooking time:  20 minutes

 I can now speak from experience and tell you that the right batter and a non-stick muffin tin will yield a delicious - crispy on the outside, hollow and chewy on the inside - puffed crepe.     This is my take on a sweet Yorkshire pudding and Dutch pannekoeken (or Dutch babies).  They were really good with the maple lemon marscapone butter, but they were excellent with good old butter and maple syrup.

Alternately, you can cook the batter in a pre-heated cast iron skillet - very dramatic and so good!

Now you can cook a quick dozen delicious crepes for breakfast without standing by the stove (it actually made 11 for me). They are best when served straight from the oven.  I hope you enjoy!

Puffed Crepes:  makes 11 crepes

How to make them:

• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup (240ml) of milk
• 1T (15ml) of vanilla paste or vanilla extract
• 1 cup (120g) of all purpose flour
• 2T (25g) of sugar
• 1/2t of cinnamon
• 1/4t of salt
• 2T (30g) of butter, equally cubed in 11 or 12 pieces  - about 1/2t - for each of the muffin tin cups

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and place muffin tin in the oven to heat.

Place the eggs (3) in a medium bowl and whisk until frothy.

Add the milk (1 cup - 240ml) and vanilla paste (1T - 15ml) and whisk to combine 

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour (1 cup - 120g), the sugar (2T - 30ml), the cinnamon(1/2t) and the salt (1/4t).

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk to combine until there are no lumps.  Transfer the batter to large measuring cup to facilitate pouring into the muffin cups.  Allow the batter to sit for 10 minutes while you prepare the muffin tin.

Remove the heated non-stick muffin tin from the oven and place one cube (about 1/2t) of butter into every cup - allowing it to melt.  Brush the melted butter up the sides - you really don't want the crepes to stick to the sides.  Return the muffin pan to the oven for 1 minute to heat the butter. 

Pour the batter into each cup to 3/4 full.  Place the muffin tin on a cookie sheet (to avoid spillage) in the centre of your oven and cook for 18-20 minutes.  Mine is a convection oven so you may have to leave yours in a little longer if you are not using one.  Don't open the oven door until you are ready to remove the puffed crepes.

The puffed crepes are ready to eat as soon as you take them out.  They will deflate a little as they cool.  Serve them with butter and maple syrup, a maple lemon mascarpone butter (see below), a rich and creamy lemon basil curd or just sprinkle with sugar and lemon juice/zest (this is how they eat pannekoeken in Holland).  They will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days or freeze them.  I hope you enjoy!

Maple Lemon Mascarpone Butter:

• 1/2 cup (120ml) of mascarpone 
• 2T (30 ml) of maple syrup
• zest of one organic lemon

Mix all ingredients together and serve.

P.S.  I also tried them in a cast iron skillet for easier preparation.  Here is how it came out.  Very dramatic and sooo good! Just remember to heat the skillet before - add the butter - and when it is melted add the batter.  Bake for about about 20 minutes.  The kitchen smells soooo good!  Enjoy!