Strawberry-Cheesecake Crepes

This is going to be a long post, but it's worth it.  It'll provide dessert for about 4 people, or 2 really big eaters.  Three disclaimers before you start down this road with me. . .

1)  If you're a novice cook, practice this recipe - particularly the crepes - at least once before you make them for a formal dinner or, you know, a marriage proposal dinner.

2)  I have a crepe recipe I will share, but I'm not completely happy with it yet, so if you want to use someone else's recipe, that's fine - but add 1/2 t. cinnamon for every cup of flour to it.  My recipe uses white whole wheat flour, which means if you substitute all-purpose flour, the amount of liquid will be wrong.  Whole wheat absorbs liquid like the Rat Pack on a Saturday night.  Note to younger readers:  Google Rat Pack.  I'll wait.

3)  This is one of those few times when I'll recommend a non-stick pan.  Normally the coating scares me, but there are some things non-stick just does better.

OK.  Take a deep breath.  Here we go.

Rinse 1 pt. of strawberries and remove the green tops and cut them into 1/4 - 1/2" pieces.  Place them in a bowl with 1 T. Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur - or 1 T. fresh orange juice - and 2 T. of sugar.  Stir gently and let rest at room temperature for at least one hour.

Whip 8 ounces of softened cream cheese, at room temperature, with a hand mixer or a whisk (if you're Popeye the Sailor Man or equally endowed) until creamy/fluffy.  Beat in:  the zest of one orange, 2 T. fresh orange juice (zest, then juice the orange), 1/2 T. Grand Marnier (or additional orange juice), 1 heaping T. sugar and 1/2 t. vanilla.  Let sit at room temp next to the strawberries so they get comfortable together.

Now for the crepes:  whisk one whole egg with one cup of milk.  Slowly add 1/2 c. white whole wheat flour (sift it in, if possible) and whisk until there are no lumps.  Add 1 t. sugar, 1/2 t. baking powder, 1/4 t. cinnamon and whisk until everything's well-mixed.  Heat up your non-stick pan with some canola oil or (cringe) some of that spray-on stuff.  The pan should be about the size you'd use to make a 2-3 egg omelet.  Mine measures 5" across the base and it could have been a little bigger.

Once the pan is hot, with your non-dominant hand, use a ladle to scoop in about 1/3 cup of the crepe batter.  With your dominant hand, hold the pan and tilt it in a circular motion until the batter coats it.  What you're going for is a really thin pancake.  Let it cook until bubbles have broken and the top is dry.  Flip the crepe in whatever manner works - shake the pan, use a spatula - just do it quickly so it doesn't fold over.  It may take a few tries to get this down.  Let it cook on the second side for 60-90 seconds until it's pale gold with a few light brown spots.  Remove to a plate and keep going.  It took me about 4 crepes to get it right -- I haven't made them in awhile.

Once you've made all the crepes, take the first one and give it a good shmear of the cream cheese mixture.  Spoon a line of the strawberries (make sure you get some of the juices) across the middle and roll the crepe into a cigar shape. leaving the ends open.  The cream cheese mixture makes a good "glue."

If you have leftover strawberry mixture, gently heat it in a saucepan and spoon it over the crepes as a sauce.  Otherwise, sift some confectioner's sugar over top of the crepes, and garnish with a whole strawberry and mint leaf.  You could also melt some dark chocolate in the microwave (zap 10 seconds, stir; zap 10 seconds, stir. . .until melted) and drizzle it over top with sifted confectioner's sugar...and add whipped cream for real decadence.

I tried these when they were freshly made, and also tried heating them in a 300 degree oven for 10-15 minutes so they were warm all the way through.  I preferred them freshly made or at room temp.  My suggestion is if you're doing this for guests, let them do some of the work.  Set out all the fixin's (cream cheese mixture, strawberries. and garnish), and then deliver the crepes in small batches and let them make their own.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Leftover cream cheese mixture and/or strawberry mixture is really, really good on French Toast.

Coming Saturday:  Something astoundingly simple.  'Til then...see you at the market!!