Ricotta Cheese Blintzes With Berry Topping Recipes

BLUEBERRY BLINTZES

Steps:

• For the topping: Add 1/2 cup of the blueberries to a medium bowl with the sugar, honey, lemon juice and cardamom and let sit, stirring every 10 minutes or so and mashing slightly, until the juices are a vibrant pink color, about 1 hour. Fold in the remaining blueberries, coating them in the sauce until shiny.
• For the blintzes: Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine the milk, flour, salt and eggs and blend until smooth. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Coat a 9- or 10-inch nonstick skillet with a thin layer of oil and heat over medium heat. Add 1/3 cup batter to the skillet and tilt it so that it distributes evenly into a round. Cook until the top is set and the bottom is slightly browned and pulls away easily from the skillet, 60 to 90 seconds. Use an offset spatula to transfer it to a plate or work surface (correct, you will not be flipping these). Repeat this process, stacking the cooked blintzes and separating them by sheets of parchment paper.
• For the filling: In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, ricotta, honey, lemon zest and juice, almond extract, cardamom, salt and egg until combined.
• To assemble: Place a blintz browned-side up on a work surface. Spoon 1/4 cup filling slightly below the center line of the blintz. Fold the bottom third of the blintz up over the filling and then fold in the sides. Bring the top third of the blintz down over the filling to seal. Set aside and repeat with the remaining blintzes.
• In a large skillet, heat a thin layer of oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the blintzes a few at a time until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes on each side, adding additional oil if the needed. Transfer to a serving plate, top with the blueberry sauce and enjoy.

BLUEBERRY BLINTZES

Steps:

• Combine the milk, water, eggs, flour, salt and sugar in a blender. Blend on medium speed for 15 seconds, until the batter is smooth and lump-free. Scrape down the sides of the blender and pour in 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Blend it again for a second just to incorporate. Refrigerate the batter for 1 hour to let it rest. If the crepes are made immediately, they have a tendency to be rubbery; when you let the batter rest, the crepes have a better texture and a softer bite.
• Put an 8-inch crepe pan or nonstick skillet over medium heat and brush with a little melted butter for added assurance. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and swirl it around so it covers the bottom evenly; pour back any excess. Cook for 30 to 45 seconds, until the crepe batter sets. Lightly bang the edge of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen the crepe; then flip it and cook another 30 seconds. The art of flipping a crepe in the air takes practice, so make sure no one is looking when you get the first one going. If this intimidates you, use a heatproof rubber spatula to loosen and flip the crepe. The crepes should be pliable, not crisp, and lightly brown. Slide them onto a platter and continue making the crepes until all the batter is used. Cover the stack of crepes with a towel to keep them from drying out. This makes 10 crepes.
• Assembly: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Forming the blintzes is kind of like making burritos. Spoon 1/4 cup of the Cheese Filling along the lower third of the crepe. Fold the bottom edge away from you to just cover the filling; then fold the 2 sides in to the center. Roll the crepe away from you a couple of times to make a package, ending with the seam side down. Put an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Brush with melted butter. Pan-fry the blintzes for 2 minutes per side until crisp and golden.
• Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 10 minutes so the egg in the filling cooks slightly and the cheese sets. Using a spatula, transfer the blintzes to serving plates. Spoon the Blueberry Sauce on top, dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve right away.
• Serve with chopped banana and remaining Blueberry Sauce. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
• In a food processor, combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and egg and blend until smooth. Chill the filling to firm it up a bit so it doesn't squirt out of the blintzes.
• Combine the butter, blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a small pot over medium-high heat. Bring up to a low boil and stir gently until the berries break down and release their natural juices. The consistency should remain a bit chunky. It will thicken up when it cools down slightly.

CHEF JOHN'S CHEESE BLINTZES

Steps:

• Place 3 eggs, flour, milk, water, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract in a blender. Blend until completely smooth, 1 or 2 minutes, scraping down sides as needed. Let batter sit at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Whisk together ricotta cheese, cream cheese, lemon zest, egg, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix together thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate.
• Heat a 10-inch, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray or brush lightly with vegetable oil. Pour in about 1/4 cup batter. Immediately swirl batter around to coat bottom of pan. Cook until surface looks dry, about 1 minute. Flip crepe over to briefly cook other side, about 30 seconds. Remove to a plate. Repeat with the rest of batter. Stack crepes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly butter a baking dish.
• Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of filling onto the crepe, about an inch from edge nearest you. Fold edge over filling and flatten slightly. Fold in both sides, then roll up crepe into a small filled rectangle, ending with the seam on the bottom, creating a blintz.
• Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Cook the blintzes until golden brown on both sides, turning gently, about 2 minutes. Transfer to buttered baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven to firm up the filling, about 12 minutes. Cool blintzes 10 minutes before serving. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar.

BAKED BLINTZES WITH FRESH BLUEBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch cake pan or baking dish.
• For the batter, place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and blend until smooth. (You can also use a blender.) Pour half the batter (about 1 3/4 cups) into the prepared dish and bake for 10 minutes, until set.
• Meanwhile, for the filling, whisk together the ricotta, mascarpone, eggs, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt and mix until thoroughly combined. Spread the cheese filling over the baked pancake. Carefully spoon the remaining pancake batter to cover the cheese.
• Return the pan to the oven and continue baking for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the filling is almost set. Remove from the oven and allow to stand 10 to 15 minutes. Cut the blintzes in squares and serve warm with the Fresh Blueberry Sauce.
• Combine the orange juice, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. When the mixture is translucent and thickened, stir in the blueberries and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, just until a few berries have burst but most are still whole. Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice and cool.

BLUEBERRY RICOTTA BLINTZES

Steps:

• 1. For blintzes: Combine flour, milk, 1/4 cup water, egg, Truvia® natural sweetener, and salt in a blender until smooth. Scrape down the sides; add the 2 tablespoons melted butter and pulse to combined. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
• 2. For filling: Beat the ricotta and cream cheese in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Add the egg, Truvia® natural sweetener and lemon zest and beat until smooth.
• 3. Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until a drop of water bounces briefly on the surface before evaporating. Quickly pour 2 tablespoons of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to coat the bottom and make a thin pancake. Cook until the bottom is golden, about 1 minute. Transfer to parchment or wax paper to cool. Continue with the remaining batter, stacking blintzes as they cool.
• 4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spoon 2 tablespoons cheese filling on the lower third of the lighter side of the blintz, fold the sides over the filling and then fold in the bottom, rolling up into a tight package. Place blintz, seam side down, on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pancakes and filling. Bake until puffed and heated through, about 20 minutes.
• 5. Meanwhile, stir together 1 cup blueberries, 1/8 cup water and Truvia® natural sweetener in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened and saucy, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup blueberries and lemon juice. Serve blintzes warm with the blueberry compote.

CHEESE BLINTZES WITH BLUEBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Make crêpes
• In blender, combine milk and eggs. Add flour and salt and blend at low speed until smooth, less than 1 minute. Let batter stand 1/2 hour.
• Have ready large plate or platter. Place skillet over moderately high heat, brush lightly with some melted butter, and heat until butter just begins to smoke. Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter into pan, tilting to spread into thin, even layer. Cook until crêpe begins to "blister," edges curl slightly away from skillet, and underside is lightly browned, about 1 to 2 minutes. Use flexible spatula to flip crêpe out of skillet and onto plate, cooked side up.
• Repeat with remaining batter, brushing skillet lightly with melted butter before cooking each crêpe. Stack crêpes, cooked side down, on plate and let cool.
• Make filling
• In large bowl, mash together farmer and cottage cheeses until blended. Add egg yolk, melted butter, sugar, and salt, and mix until combined.
• Place 1 crêpe, cooked side up, on a plate. Place 2 tablespoons filling in center, and fold up bottom to cover filling. Fold down top, then flip over and fold in sides. Flip over again and place on a large plate. Repeat with remaining crêpes and filling. (Can be made up to 1 day ahead; cover and chill until ready to fry.)
• Make sauce
• In large saucepan, combine 3 cups blueberries, sugar, and cornstarch. Set over moderately low heat and stir gently until sugar dissolves. Raise heat to moderately high and boil, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Remove from heat and gently stir in remaining blueberries.
• Fry blintzes
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in iron skillet over moderately high heat. Add 3 blintzes and fry until golden brown on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining blintzes. Serve hot with sauce.