Given In Autumnal Crêpes
Yep, I give up - it is totally autumn! Forget all the in-betweeness, from this week forward I am engulfing myself in all things warming, spiced, comforting and yummy. So starting as I mean to go on, I made the most delicious crêpes this week and thought I would share the recipe with you, so you too can abandon summer and join me!
British pears are just coming into season now and they make a perfect accompaniment to crêpes along with the crunch of flaked almonds and the creaminess of mascarpone and a few lashings of warm butterscotch sauce.
Crêpes with Poached Pears, Butterscotch Sauce, Mascarpone and flaked almonds
For the Crêpes
220g plain flour
3 large free ranged eggs
570ml milk
50ml light olive oil
For the Poached Pears
2 ripe Pears, peeled and cored.
2 tbsp soft brown sugar
2 tbsp water
1 ball of stem ginger, finely sliced
1 tsp stem ginger syrup
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
For the Butterscotch Sauce
155g soft brown sugar
50g unsalted butter, cubed
160ml double cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
To Serve
50g flaked almonds, lightly toasted
125g mascarpone
First make the crepes, whisk all the crêpe ingredients together using half the milk to begin with. Beat until smooth and then add the remaining milk and whisk to combine. Leave to stand for 30 minutes before using.
In that time make the poached pears and butterscotch sauce. To make the poached pears, chop the pears into 1cm chunks and add to a small saucepan with all the other ingredients. Bring to a soft boil and leave to simmer for 5 minutes of until the pears are soft, but still hold their shape. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pears from the liquid and place into a bowl. Continue to cook the liquid until it had thickened and looks like a light syrup. Then pour the syrup over the cooked pears and leave to one side.
To make the butterscotch sauce, place all the ingredients into a small pan and place on a medium heat to melt and dissolve together, stirring occasionally. Once everything has melted, continue to let it bubble away for 5 minutes or until it’s a lovely golden colour and a thicker texture. Leave to cool to a warm temperature.
Once the 30 minutes are up, heat a medium dry frying pan. Add a small amount of butter to grease the pan before adding the crêpe batter. I make my crêpes about 20cm in diameter, but go for whatever size you like. Leave them to bubble away on one side, whilst slowly and gently lifting the edges up to help it stop sticking to the pan. After 2 minutes, flip or turn the crêpe over and cook on the other side for 1 more minute before transferring to a plate. You can either cook them one at a time, or place a sheet of greaseproof paper between each one and make them in batches.
When you are ready to serve up, place the crêpe on the plate and fold into quarters to make a triangle shape, pour over the warm butterscotch sauce, add a dollop of mascarpone a couple of spoonfuls of pears with the syrup and finally scatter the toasted flaked almonds over the top.
This would make a very elegant dessert to an autumnal feast, or a luxurious breakfast - either way enjoy. Quick, dig out the mittens and scarves just to be on the safe side!!
