Grilled Summer Peach Crepes with Lavender Mascarpone

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Grilled Summer Peach Crepes with Lavender Mascarpone

Nothing could be more sensory satisfying than these lovely grilled peach crepes with lavender mascarpone.

Grilled Summer Peach Crepes with Lavender Mascarpone

Dried Lavender Buds

Simple goodness from the earth, prepared into a culinary adventure for our senses.

Making sweet and savory crepes

Grilled Summer Peach Crepes with Lavender Mascarpone

If you happen to find yourself with a flat of apricots, nectarines or plums, these would also be delicious substitutions for the peaches.

Serves 8

Ingredients

8 ounces mascarpone, room temp so it’s easier to mix and spread

1 tablespoon dried lavender

¼ cup sugar

4 peaches (firm but give a little when squeezed), halved and pit removed

1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil

¼ cup good quality honey (I use a local wildflower honey)

8 crepes (recipe below)

Drizzle of honey and chopped fresh mint for garnish

Directions

Preheat the grill to 400F.

In coffee grinder, food processor or mortar and pestle, grind the sugar and dried lavender together.  Make sure the lavender is finely minced.

Mix together the lavender sugar and the mascarpone and set aside.

Brush the peach halves with veggie oil and grill until the peaches are tender to the touch and nicely marked with grill marks.

Place the grilled peaches on a cutting board and slice.  Then put the sliced peaches in a bowl and drizzle with honey.

Fill each crepe with a tablespoon or two of lavender mascarpone and a few grilled peach slices and then roll.  Garnish with an additional drizzle of honey and fresh mint.

Crepes Recipe

Classic French crepes are perfect for dessert and plenty of savory dishes too. Make the batter a day ahead for best results.

1 ¼ cups (6 ounces) all-purpose flour

¼ cup (1 ½ ounces) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 each eggs, room temperature

3 each egg yolks, room temperature

6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter

1 ½ cups (12 ounces) whole milk

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt.

Combine the butter and milk in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat until just warm to the touch and the butter has melted. (If it gets too warm, transfer it to a metal bowl to cool some.)

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks.

Add the eggs to the dry mixture and whisk until combined. The batter will become a thick paste. Add the milk and butter all at once and whisk gently until combined.

Let the crepe batter sit for at least one hour, but preferably over night.

Making the crepes:  Cut or tear 20 pieces of parchment about 6×6 inches each. Set them aside.

Heat a skillet (8-10 inches) or crepe pan over medium-high heat.  (See more info on crepe pans below.) Make sure the pan is hot before you add the batter. Add ¼ to 1/3 cup crepe batter to the pan and gently tilt the pan to distribute the batter over the entire bottom of the pan. Return the pan immediately to the heat.  Cook the crepe until the top bubbles and the edges start to curl, about 1 minute. Using a heat-resistant rubber spatula, gently loosen the edges of the crepe. Turn the crepe with the spatula or use an offset spatula or pancake turner. (I like to lift the edge of the crepe with my fingers, slide the rubber spatula under and flip it over. You can use your fingers and the spatula to straighten it in the pan if needed.)  Cook the crepe on the second side for less than 1 minute or until it is brown and releases easily from the pan.

Slide the cooked crepe onto a piece of the cut parchment and repeat the steps above for the second crepe. Lay a piece of parchment on top of the first crepe and slide the second crepe onto the parchment. (This way you will have a stack of parchment/crepe/parchment/crepe and so on.)

Continue cooking the crepes until all of the batter is gone. It is important to stir the batter frequently, as the solids will settle toward the bottom.  You can make as many crepes as you need and store the remaining batter in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.  (Be sure to stir the batter well before making the crepes. I like to let the refrigerated batter sit on the counter for 30 minutes so that it is not cold.)

Crepe Pans:  There are a number of crepe pans on the market today, including plenty of basic skillets that also work well. I keep a non-stick pan on hand just for eggs and crepes. Usually, you won’t need to use butter or any other oil to keep the crepes from sticking when using a non-stick pan in good condition. However, sometimes the first crepe will stick some. If this happens to you, just remove it (and have it as a snack).  Then make sure the pan is clean, add one teaspoon of butter to coat the pan and start with the second crepe. This will often “season” the pan and it will cook your crepes perfectly from here on.  If you prefer to use a pan that is not non-stick, use a small amount of clarified butter before cooking each crepe.

 

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