Nutella with Strawberry Crepes

My love affair with Nutella with Strawberry Crepes began at La Creperie here in Chicago. After seeing the restaurant featured on Check, Please! Brad and I decided to take a trip down to Clark Street to try it out for ourselves (I will post more about the restaurant on a later date). As much as I loved the crepes there, when it comes down to it, we just can't afford to go out and eat crepes whenever we feel like it. Lucky for me, The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook has a great crepe recipe that I have used ever since I discovered it. I have had no complaints about it whatsoever so I have never tried any other recipes. But hey, if it's not broke, why fix it? A few "disclaimers" so to speak before we begin. ATK says "Don't worry if the first two or three crepes aren't perfect; it takes a few to get the heat of the pan just right". I tend to agree with that statement. And just because they aren't as pretty, doesn't mean they still can't be eatten :o)

first crepe of the night, just to reiterate the point :o)

Also, there is a 2 hour resting time involved so this is a recipe that you definately need to plan ahead for. And finally, though the recipe calls for an 8" non-stick, ATK also says you can swap and use a 10" non-stick with about 3/4 cup batter- though I just eyeball it, just remember, they are supposed to be thin.

Crepes
from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

• 1 cup whole milk (though I have used 2% every time, since that is what we drink)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 6 Tablespoons water
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for the pan
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Blend all of the ingredients together in a food processor or blender until smooth, about 4 seconds. Transfer to a covered container (or if you are me, just use the blender jar w/ lid) and refrigerate the batter for 2 hours or up to 2 days.

2. Gently stir the batter to combine if it appears separated. Heat an 8 in nonstick skillet (or crepe pan) over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Brush the pan bottom and sides very lightly with butter (it should sizzle when it hits the pan). When the butter stops sizzling, remove the pan from the heat, tilt the pan slightly, and pour 2 1/2 tablespoons of the batter (you can fill a 1/4 cup measuring cup a little past the halfway mark) into the pan. As the batter is poured, rotate the pan to swirl the batter evenly over the face of the pan before returning it to the heat. Cook until the first side is spotty golden brown, 30 to 60 seconds. Use a thin spatula to flip the crepe and continue to cook until the seond side is spotty golden brown, about 30 seconds longer. Transfer the crepe to a paper-towel-lined plate and let cool (you can stack crepes on top of each other). Repeat with the remaining crepe batter, brushing the pan with butter as needed after cooking several crepes.
To Mix Crepe Batter by Hand
Sift the flour and salt together in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, water, and melted butter, then gradually whisk into the flour. Pass the batter through a fine-mesh strainer or sieve.

To Make Ahead
Crepes can be double-wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozed for up to 2 months. To defrost, thaw the crepes in the refrigerator for a day before filling and rolling.

Crepe Filling and Folding
ATK recommends everything from a Lemon-Ricotta filling, fresh fruits (such as sauteed apples with caramel sauce), to softened ice cream for sweet crepes. For savory crepes, use soft cheeses and fresh herbs, deli meats, or sauteed vegetables to name a few. For other ideas, you can look on Le Creperie's website or use your own imagination. My personal favorite, as I have mentioned is Nutella with Strawberries (which is done by spreading Nutella on the crepe and the top with strawberries before folding).


As far as folding is concerned, you can either fold the crepe like a burrito or into quarters.