Crepes With Mascarpone And Chocolate With Cherry Compote Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CREPES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine pie filling and almond extract; cover and refrigerate until chilled. For crepes, place the milk, eggs, butter, almonds and flour in a blender; cover and process until smooth. , Heat a lightly greased 8-in. nonstick skillet; pour about 2 tablespoons batter into center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Cook until top appears dry and bottom is golden brown; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing skillet as needed. Stack cooled crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between., For the filling, in a mixing bowl, beat cream and melted chocolate until soft peaks form. Spoon about 2 tablespoons over each crepe; roll up. Top with cherry mixture and sprinkle with slivered almonds.

MIXED BERRY CREPES WITH MASCARPONE

Steps:

• For the batter: Blend the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor or blender. Add the milk, water, eggs, butter, and vanilla extract, and process until smooth. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
• For the fruit: While batter rests, hull and halve the strawberries. Toss with blackberries, sugar, and orange liqueur, if using, in a medium bowl; set aside.
• For the filling: Whisk the cheeses with the sugar, orange zest and juice, and the vanilla extract.
• To make the crepes: Heat an 6-inch nonstick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat until a drop of water bounces and sizzles briefly on its surface before evaporating. Quickly pour in about 2 tablespoons of crepe batter and swirl it to coat the skillet evenly. Cook until the batter sets, about 30 seconds. Flip the crepe and cook the other side until just barely golden. Repeat with the remaining batter, stacking the crepes as they cook.
• Place 1 tablespoon of the cheese filling on the lower left-hand corner of each crepe. Fold crepe in half, then half again to make a triangle with filling in the tip. Repeat with the remaining crepes and filling. Stack filled crepes neatly on serving platter (or hotel pan). (The crepes can be prepared up to this point a day ahead, covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight.)
• To serve: Preheat an oven to 250 degrees F. Cover crepes with foil and warm in the oven until heated through, about 10 minutes.
• Spoon the macerated berries over the crepes and serve.

CREPES WITH MASCARPONE AND CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine the mascarpone, chocolate chips, 1/2 cup sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. Set aside. If making more than 2 hours ahead reserve in the refrigerator but let come to room temperature before serving. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the cherries, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, lemon zest and juice and a splash of water. Cook until the cherries have let off their juice and the flavor has concentrated, about 10 to 12 minutes. When done the cherries should be very sweet and the juice should be syrupy.
• To assemble:
• Schmear some of the mascarpone/chocolate mixture, about 1/4-inch thick, onto the lower half of a crepe. Fold the top half over the bottom to create a perfect half circle and press to secure. Fold the crepe in half again, to create a loose triangle. Repeat this process with remaining 7 crepes. To serve, arrange 2 triangles on each serving plate and spoon the stewed cherries over the tops.
• Batter: In a mixing bowl, add the flour and salt and make a well in the center. Add the eggs, milk, club soda and 3 tablespoons of melted butter into the center of the well and whisk together until just combined. The mixture should be like VERY loose pancake batter. If the mixture is a little thick, whisk in a little more milk. Let the batter sit for at least 30 minutes before using.
• Crepes:
• Melt about a 1/2 teaspoon of butter in a small nonstick saute pan. The butter should coat the bottom of the pan, if there is a lot of excess, wipe it out with a paper towel. Keep the paper towel handy in case you need it again (you will).
• Put the pan over medium heat. Fill a 2-ounce ladle, almost to the top, with batter and pour it into the preheated pan, tipping and rolling the pan, as you ladle the batter, to evenly cover the bottom. This will take a little practice, even when you are an experienced crepe maker the first couple always get wasted. Accept it and move on.
• When the edges of the crepe begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and the bottom begins to brown a little, turn the crepe over and cook it for about 1 minute on the other side. Remove the crepe from the pan to a plate and let cool. Stack the crepes as they are cooked between parchment paper squares. Repeat this process, until all the batter is used, wiping the pan with your paper towel or melting a little more butter to the pan, as needed.

CHOCOLATE NAPOLEONS WITH MASCARPONE CREAM AND CHERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Make chocolate layers:
• Place baking sheet, bottom side up, on work surface. Cover bottom side with foil, tucking ends under. Mark 15 x 9-inch rectangle on foil. Place chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of pan to touch water); stir until melted and smooth. Pour onto foil; spread to cover rectangle. Chill until just set but not hard, about 8 minutes.
• Cut chocolate rectangle lengthwise into three 3-inch-wide strips. Cut strips crosswise into six 2 1/2-inch-long pieces. Chill 1 hour. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; keep refrigerated.)
• Make mascarpone cream:
• Using electric mixer, beat first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Add 1/2 cup cream; beat until soft peaks form. Add 1/2 cup cream; beat until thick and stiff. Cover; chill at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.
• Place 1 chocolate piece on each of 6 plates. Spread 3 tablespoons mascarpone over each. Top with another chocolate piece; spread mascarpone over. Top with third chocolate piece. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill.) Dust with powdered sugar. Spoon compote alongside.