In college there were a few times when I would breakout and whip up something special for a visiting friend. This recipe came as a follow-up to my dabble in the bananas fosters dessert which included a little fun with brandy and toasted cinnamon. The culmination one morning was a swift move to make crepes and expand on the flare that can only come from a raspberry and blueberry sauce made a la flambé via a few ounces of a good brandy. We sure did enjoy breakfast that morning, and since this recipe has been a favorite that I’ve enjoyed making for special guests ever since.
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Ingredients:
Crepes:
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 tbsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Extra-Large Eggs
2 cups Fat-Free Milk
2 tbsp Melted Butter (Unsalted)
Sauce:
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
3 tbsp Butter
1/2 cup Fresh Raspberries
1/2 cup Fresh Blueberries
1/4 cup Brandy
Directions:
Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add vanilla, eggs, milk and melted butter and mix until the batter is well combined (should be a bit runny). Heat a non-stick skillet (or crepe pan if you have one) to medium-high heat. Place about 1/4 cup of the batter on the pan and gently tilt the pan until the batter covers the entire surface (about 1/8” thick). When top of the batter becomes solid flip for a few more minutes and then roll-up and set aside. Repeat until all crepes are made (makes about 6-8) Cover to keep warm.
For the sauce, melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a skillet on medium heat. Add the powdered sugar and mix together, then add raspberries and blueberries (set a few aside to use as a garnish). Cook until the berries fall apart in the sauce. Add the brandy along the edge of the sauteed pan and flambé. (I keep a wand starter in the kitchen for this – be careful as flames can shoot a few feet above the skillet).
Pour the sauce over the crepes (2-3 per serving) and garnish with a dollop of whipped cream, fresh berries and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
