These delicately thin and buttery crepes are stuffed with a tangy cheesecake filling and the most delicious triple berry sauce!
Well guys, I finally did it…I made my very own crepes from scratch. And guess what? I survived!!
Yep, believe it or not, crepes really aren’t that difficult to make. In fact, they might even be easier than pancakes. For one thing, the batter is much less finicky since you don’t have to worry about over-mixing or under-mixing like you do with pancake batter. Simply throw all of the ingredients into a blender or a food processor and blend until completely smooth and combined.
The cooking process is also much quicker with crepes since the batter is so much thinner than pancake batter. Furthermore, you have a lot more control when it comes to flipping the crepes over. I don’t know about you, but I always have a hard time getting the spatula underneath the entire pancake. So when it’s time to flip it over, I’m hoping and praying that it doesn’t accidentally splatter or fold over on itself. With crepes, you don’t have to worry about any of that! If it accidentally folds over on itself, just use your fingers to unfold it. The crepe won’t stick to itself because it’s already set and mostly cooked through.
I’d say that the most challenging part of crepe-making is getting into the perfect rhythm of pouring the batter onto the skillet and tilting/swirling it enough to evenly coat the bottom of the skillet. For my 9-inch nonstick skillet, I needed 1/4 cup of batter to evenly coat the bottom. It takes about 1-2 minutes to cook the first side. You’ll know the crepe is ready to flip when the edges look dry and slightly toasted. I recommend buttering your skillet between each crepe. This might sound like overkill, but it’ll make the flipping process a breeze AND it’ll provide those nice buttery crisp edges!
Since it’s summer and we’re right in the middle of berry season, I decided to make a triple berry sauce for these crepes. Blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries are the berries I used for this recipe, but feel free to substitute strawberries for some of the berries if you like. This recipe also works great with frozen berries–no need to thaw them either!
While the triple berry sauce is heavenly on its own, I decided that it would be even BETTER with a creamy cheesecake filling. I mean, why not? Right??
This cheesecake filling is also super easy to throw together! Just beat some cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt together until nice and creamy. Then fold in some freshly-whipped cream–that’s it! You could even use whipped topping in place of the freshly-whipped cream. Just use 1 and 1/2 cups whipped topping to replace the 3/4 cup of heavy cream.
Once you’ve got your crepes, your triple berry filling, and your cheesecake filling, it’s time to assemble!
Now, I’ve seen this done a couple of different ways. The first way is to spread both fillings down the center of the crepe, then roll it up like an enchilada. The second way is to spread both fillings (one on top of the other) on one half of the crepe, fold it in half, then fold it in half again. This is the technique I went with. However, regardless of the technique you choose, the crepes are going to taste absolutely exquisite!
Although crepes are best when served fresh, you also have the option of freezing them. Just take your leftover cooked unfilled crepes and stack them with a piece of parchment paper between each crepe to prevent them from sticking to each other. Place the stack of crepes into a large ziplock bag in the freezer for up to 1 month.
To thaw the crepes out, allow them to sit out at room temperature for about 15 minutes before peeling them from the parchment paper and reheating in the microwave. They should only take 15-20 seconds to heat since they’re so thin. If you prefer to use the oven instead, just place the crepes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (overlapping is ok), cover with aluminum foil, and warm in a preheated 275°F oven for 5-10 minutes.
While I’m a sucker for pancakes and waffles, I have to say that the lighter, more delicate texture of crepes is a nice change. Pancakes and waffles tend to be rather heavy, but since crepes are much thinner, you get more of the delicious filling in every bite. As the French would say, “C’est très magnifique!”
Triple Berry Cheesecake Crepes
Ingredients
Berry Sauce:
- 4 cups berries fresh or frozen (I used a mix of blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries)
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 4 Tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Cheesecake Filling:
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch of salt
Crepes:
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup water
- 2 eggs
- 3 Tablespoons melted butter plus more for greasing pan
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
Make the Berry Sauce:
- In a medium saucepan, heat the berries over medium heat until they soften and their juices release (about 3-4 minutes).
- In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt together. Stir the dry mixture into the berries and continue stirring until mixture thickens, and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Set aside to cool.
Make the Cheesecake Filling:
- In the chilled bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Transfer whipped cream to another bowl, then return mixing bowl to mixer. Switch the whisk attachment out for the paddle attachment, then beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt together until smooth. Add a 1/2 cup of the whipped cream and continue mixing until lightened. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream by hand.
Cook the Crepes:
- Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor, blending until smooth.* Place crepe batter in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
- Place a nonstick skillet** over medium heat and generously grease it with butter. Once the skillet is hot, pour 1/4 cup of batter into the center of the skillet. Tilt/Swirl the skillet so that the batter coats the bottom of the pan.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes, then flip as soon as the bottom is set. You can test this out by shaking the pan to see if the crepe slides around. Try not to cook the crepes too long or else they will have a rubbery texture. Cook the other side for 30 seconds, or until set. Transfer the cooked crepe to a large plate and cover with a damp paper towel so that the edges don't dry out.
- Repeat cooking process with the remaining batter, making sure to butter the pan between each crepe. If desired, separate each crepe with parchment paper so they do not stick together.
Fill the Crepes:
- Evenly spread a couple spoonfuls of the cheesecake filling on one half of the crepe. Spread a couple spoonfuls of the berry sauce directly on top of the cheesecake filling. Fold the bare half of the crepe over the berry filling, then fold the whole thing in half.
- Repeat with the rest of the crepes and fillings. If desired, serve with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Notes
**My skillet was 9-inches. Aim for a skillet that's 8-10 inches in diameter.
***Leftover unfilled crepes will remain fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. To freeze the cooked crepes (for up to 1 month), place a sheet of parchment paper between each crepe to prevent sticking, then stack them in a large ziplock bag. To thaw the crepes, allow them to sit out at room temperature for 15 minutes before peeling them off of the parchment paper and reheating in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.