One of the things that has surprised me the most as I’m chugging my way along to my manuscript’s finish line is how little clear my vision was for it from the beginning, and how little I’ve erred from my original list of recipe ideas, as in real life, I am a bafflingly indecisive person. “What should we order for dinner?” can send me into a tailspin. “Which colander looks best from Amazon?” will lead me to read 30 minutes of reviews. And yet, half the recipes that are lined up for the book right now (except the breakfast section; we should definitely not discuss that again) are pretty much as I scribbled the ideas while my then-newborn was napping in the fall of 2009. It’s probably for the best I jotted it all down then because my brain has probably not been so centered for 5 minutes since.
Outside of the book, however, I’m in a huge rut. The idea that I should still be clever, or have inspiration to spare or enthusiasm to return to the kitchen after finally getting it clean from the last cooking cycle (day 10 without a dishwasher!) after working on this book is well beyond my capability, as sadly evidence by the trickling pace of updates this summer. And when I do cook, I only want one of three things: 1. Dishes that involve corn (see also: corn pancakes, corn pie, corn popovers, corn tacos and that’s just the tip of the iceberg for my corn plans, so help us all), 2. Crepes and crepe family members. Did you know that popovers, Dutch babies, canneles and blintzes are more or less crepe batters at their base? So, yes, all those as well. 3. Things with ricotta. I’ll occasionally throw in cherries, stone fruit or tomatoes, but more or less, my brain is like that raven in Game of Thrones: “CORN! CORN!”
This week, the last two urges won. I didn’t know what I was looking for wandering around the market on Wednesday — well, besides everything because is there a more blissful sight for heat-bleary eyes in August than the pops of color off every stand? — but when I saw baskets of sugar plums (which evoke fairies, winter, pretty dancers and all sorts of good stuff) I knew that was the start. From there, I found excuse to use more ricotta (like I need one, besides a spoon, really), honey (another theme), mint (more of this is coming, you’ll see) and … whoops. I had no pistachios. The vibrant green and almost minty flavor of crushed pistachios would be dreamy with these plums, but the cupboards were empty (no, I don’t want to talk about it) and there was just no way I was hauling my way back to the store for more. As it turns out, almonds work as well. But promise you’ll use pistachios if you have them.
And together, this makes a fine assembly of summer. Technically, it’s probably a dessert. Or an Italian/Mediterranean blintz. But if you are nearly two whole years old, in practice or at heart, you are totally given as pass to have it for dinner.
One year ago: Sweet and Smoky Oven Spareribs and Everyday Chocolate Cake
Two years ago: Plum Kuchen and Roasted Carrot and Avocado Salad
Three years ago: Blueberry Crumb Bars, Napa Cabbage Salad with Buttermilk Dressing and Key Lime Meltaways
Four years ago: Quick Zucchini Saute and Summer Berry Pudding
Sugar Plum Crepes with Ricotta and Honey
One of the many things I love about crepes is that the batter can be made a day or even two (some say longer) in advance. You can make crepes as needed. But even if you make two dozen crepes (don’t worry, this recipe won’t), they keep surprisingly well. You can stack them while they’re still hot — they don’t stick to each other — and take them out of the fridge the next day and warm them again. Savory or sweet, the filling possibilities are endless but you know, I mostly made these sweet. Not overly so, I hope.
These crepes would be equally good with any other stone fruit, from white peaches to nectarines to apricots. I sauteed the fruit in butter and honey (because nothing bad can happen there, can it?) but will fully confess that I found it unnecessary. Thinly sliced, insanely ripe stone fruit needs no cooking time, so consider the sauteeing optional, unless you’re making this in the fall with apples or pears. In that case, I’d double the fruit cooking time and possibly even the butter and honey to make a lovely filling. But fall is terribly far off, isn’t it?
Yield: I made 6 8.5-inch crepes but felt they were a little large for the dish I had in mind; I’d make this next time in a smaller skillet (using less batter, of course)
Crepes
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly (I browned this first, which probably won’t surprise you)
1/2 cup milk (fat level shouldn’t matter, but I use whole)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Two pinches of salt
Few gratings fresh nutmeg
2 tablespoons honey
Plums
1 pound sugar or other plums, pitted and cut into quarters if tiny, eighths if larger
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon honey
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Juice of half a lemon
Assembly
1 cup ricotta (ever wanted to make your own?)
3 tablespoons slivered fresh mint leaves
Toasted and chopped pistachios or almonds
Additional honey, if desired
Make crepes: In a blender, combine crepe ingredients. (Alternately, in a bowl with an immersion blender, or whisked vigorously by hand.) Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or up to two days.
Preheat a medium skillet or crepe pan over medium-high heat. Once heated, brush pan lightly with melted butter or oil. Pour 1/4 cup batter into skillet, swirling it until it evenly coats the bottom and cook, undisturbed, until the bottom is golden and the top is set, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip and cook on other side for 5 to 10 seconds. Transfer wrapper to paper towel covered plate. Continue with remaining batter.
Prepare filling: (Optional, see Note up top.) Melt the butter in heavy, large skillet (or, the one you just used for crepes, because I’m on day 9 of a broken dishwasher and will not create additional work for myself) over moderately high heat. Add the plums and cook them for 2 minutes, tossing them about until they’re warmed through. Add the honey and cinnamon and cook them for 1 minute more. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over them and transfer to a bowl. Cover the bowl with foil if you’re looking to keep them warm for a while.
Assemble: Lay a crepe on a plate. Dollop a couple spoonfuls of ricotta down middle of crepe. Add a spoonful or two of warm plums. Sprinkle with pistachios and mint, if using. Drizzle with extra honey, if desired (it otherwise won’t be very sweet). Fold crepe sides over each other, so that they slightly overlap. Garnish with extra mint. Close your eyes pretend you’re eating them on a boat in the Mediterranean, watching the sun slip behind the sea. Try not to impale your foot with a wooden racecar while you do, as it’s bad for morale.
Do ahead: Fully cooked, crepes can be kept stacked and wrapped in the fridge for two days, if needed. The sauteed fruit can be cooked ahead of time, gently rewarmed when needed.
wow these look fantastic. love the idea of sugar plums and crepes together, drizzled with honey. beautiful photography.
I could inhale 40 of those. OMG.
On my way over.
looks amazing. thanks for the tips
These look fantastic! Really and truly!!
Plum crepes with ricotta?! WOW, Deb. How do come up with this stuff? I am so excited to try these! What a perfectly light, summer dessert. And as usual, your photos are outstanding. :-)
These are beautiful, Deb! I somehow can’t believe that you are in a rut. You’re rut is equal to my productive days if you’re coming up with something like this at the same time! :)
I’m pretty sure that my almost-two-year-old (both the actual toddler and my husband) will love these just as much as I!
Wow, what I wouldn’t give to have these in front of me right now!! Seriously!
I am very grateful for another ricotta-related recipe. Why, you ask? Because your evil ricotta recipe has caused me to make frightening quantities of ricotta so I can eat it all the time. My husband thinks I’ve gone off the deep end. But at least now I can hide it under plums in a crepe. :-)
ricotta-honey-plum-crepes just saying it sounds perfectly delicious!
Funny I was browsing SK (and few other of my favorite food blogs) yesterday looking for a recipe or an idea what to do with my market red and yellow plums, I wanted it to be more of a breakfast thing, not too sweet. But I couldn’t find anything that satisfied me.
I ended up baking the plums with some blackberries, a little sugar, butter and salt and serving it on top of your shortcake-biscuit recipe with some creme fraiche.
Really good!
But here you are with a not-too-sweet-breakfast-plum-recipe. And I have to try it.
You…know about Game of Thrones? This is amazing. I’ve been reading this food blog since 08 or so and I never knew!
Also, there is a food blog that covers Game-of-Thrones themed food: http://innatthecrossroads.com/
It is curiously corn-free. (That said, corn is delicious.)
Game of Thrones — I’m addicted! I’m about halfway through book 4. It’s a wonderful escape from the kitchen this summer.
My aunt used to make a mean crepe with sautéed peached with a brown butter sauce and fresh whipped cream. It was our staple breakfast when we visited her over the summers. This looks like a beautiful (and perhaps more original) approach to that idea. I can’t wait to try this out with my family, and my aunt the next time I visit!
Oh how I love crepes. I will have to make these ASAP. I’m throwing a Parisian themed baby shower tomorrow and sure wish I were making THESE!
Yummy, yummy! I love your photos and have tried a good number of your recipes (including the ricotta!) I have never made crepes before so I will have to try this! I always make my family pancakes then at the end of the batter, thin it out for me and drizzle with melted butter mixed with warm honey so I think I will like it! This is also a perfect time to try it as we have a French exchange student with us for a few weeks.
Ohh these look so good. I’ve never had a better crepe than when my french friend made them for me over a year ago… this has inspired me to try my own hand at it! Thanks for the recipe.
And I (like everyone else most likely!) am SO excited for your cookbook!! Dare I say it is even worth the lower frequency of posts this summer? :)
Delicious!! I love crepes but I usually end up eating the standard fruit/nutella filled with ice cream on top. This is a wonderful twist – love the idea of pairing ricotta with the fruit & honey! Can’t wait to make this at home :)
You’re being pulled in multiple directions and naturally feeling the strain. Rest assured that you continue to delight: let’s face it, you’re hilarious; and inspire: your crepes are virtually perfect – paper thin and golden gorgeous. Don’t worry so much. You’re managing great.
Woohoo, Game of Thrones reference!! (Love the link to the book instead of the TV show, too!)
The crepes look great. I’m in awe of all of you fantastic bloggers who manage not only to write a book, but meanwhile continue blogging about things you’re (presumably) not putting in the book. Boggles the mind. Keep up the great work, and in the Midwest, we’re welcoming all the corn recipes. :)
I love crepes! My favorite crepe innards are avocado, peach, and cream cheese (or in my case goat cream cheese) with peach-vanilla sauce drizzled over–a family tradition. Yum.
You know I have never made crepes but all of a sudden I do not fear them. Thanks for the straightforward easy crepe making recipe..and anything topped with plums and honey is perfect!
And I love the make-ahead batter. That is music to a FT working mama’s ears!
Excellent! I had a bumper crop of pluots this year.
Crepes are one of my favorite things to make. Especially when I’ve dropped the ball on dinner. And nobody ever says, “aw man! Crepes for supper again?”
Ha what do you know…I just finished eating a whole wheat(pastry flour), cornmeal crepe with maple blueberry sauce with a little vanilla bean ice cream…then I went to check if there was an update and lo and behold a crepe. Must be the time of year? Yours look so perfect. I think because of my impatience…never cook like this…I wrecked a whole bunch of crepes because I didn’t wait long enough before I tried to flip them over. It turned out fairly well otherwise. Only thing better may have been if I had also made the ice cream and thought of how you would have browned the butter first. :) Although I also didn’t melt enough butter so the other Tbsp was extra virgin olive oil. I have extra crepes and maybe will try putting your filling idea in…well at least the ricotta with whatever I find to go with it. Wonder if the neighbour would be willing to give me a few plums off their tree? Not sugar plums but will do.
Your photos are lovely. I’ve been using sliced plums to top panna cotta, but I like the idea of pairing them with ricotta.
This post makes sugar plum fairies dance through my head :) Yum!
The plums look gorgeous. And I’m sure they are the perfect tart foil to the creamy ricotta :)
It’s corn season, and corn is delicious. I say go with it — as long as you bring us the results, ’cause I can always use another corn recipe. :)
I did not think sugar plums really existed until this post. The crepe and the plums cooked in butter and honey look and sound lovely. I like the mint touch. I am sitting here wondering if you made your own ricotta for this? I have a question. How do you warm up a crepe? I have no idea how to warm up anything and since I hate the microwave I end up eating everything cold unless it’s soup. It’s the only thing I can warm up.
I came here looking for your tips/recipes on fava beans, and now I’m thinking I ought to make fruity ricotta crepes as well! Oh, bother! ;)
This is the second good recipe I’ve seen this week that calls for ricotta (the first is zucchini blossom-ricotta pappardelle, in this week’s New York Times). My mouth is watering.
I love crepes! These look great =)
What a coincidence – I just posted a recipe for Palatschinken (the Austrian, crepe-like version of pancakes) on my site the other day. I filled them with home-made apricot jam and cottage cheese and also ate them for dinner (they do that in Austria all the time, so why can’t we?). Now I really want to try your version.
Deb, I just want to tell you that I cannot wait for your cookbook to come out (I know you hear that all the time, but I can’t imagine it gets old). I know I can only speak for myself – but personally I find you’re still posting at a rather fast rate this summer considering everything. I have no idea how you manage to raise an adorable little child, write a cookbook, do interviews (your most recent one with diannej and the one with a cup of jo were fantastic), go on romantic dates with Alex and continue to blog such wonderful recipes! Seriously, your time-management/organizational skills must be impeccable.
Pretty pancakes and the plum-ricotta filling sounds fantastic!
Mmm, I love crepes and I think I could eat that plum filling with a spoon. Looks delicious :D Beautiful color too!
I love crepes and making them. I may do this in a few weekends when my daughter comes home.
I’m still a little on edge about making a crepe, for some reason it really scares me.
The filling on the other hand? I would use that compote on top of ice cream, Greek yogurt, and baked into a crostata, I dare say. I love stone fruit season so, so much.
This recipe goes along quite well with my current obsession with local peaches!! I’m always a bit intimidated by crepes because they’re so thin and delicate. I would never have thought to make them ahead so thanks so much for that tip!!
two years?! seriously?! he is adorable, and i can’t believe he’s about to turn two. can’t believe i’ve been reading smitten kitchen that long (since he was just a little cinnamon bun in the oven)!
the crepes look amazing. just got back from paris, and miss them already. this one looks unbelievable.
OMG, breakfast-dessert for dinner! I made the crepes and filled them with very ripe Tilton apricots sauteed like you suggested, but I added a splash of rum. Cognac or Amaretto would work also. I served them with fresh raspberries for additional color and flavor.
Yum. Dessert crepes for dinner – thanks for the pass on that Deb. I might do these tomorrow with the peaches I have – mmmmmmmmmm.
I’m with you on the corn! Your recent popovers are in my corn queue. You should add this to your corn plan, it is so wonderful and simple:
http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/26/the-temporary-vegetarian-the-simplest-corn-pudding/
I’ve never made crepes, but as always, you’ve inspired me!
The variety of plums you use here look wonderful. I just happen to have some crepes in the freezer so’s I can test the filling you offer if I can find all those plums at the farmers mkt tomorrow.
.
I get your obsession with corn. The ears I’ve found this past month have been so good. Tonight, I made some of that sweet corn stuff that they serve at a particular fresh-mex restaurant using some fresh corn. I nailed it; it was so good. I could imagine those plums ladled over that corn cake for breakfast. (Ooops, sorry..didn’t want to say the B-word, but it’d be good, no?) Mmmm.
Christmas in summer!
These look lovely!
These look heavenly!! I have never had sugar plums before. I made a banana split crepe here. http://bellesbazaar-heather.blogspot.com/2011/07/banana-split-crepes.html
I totally cracked up at the CORN mention from Game of Thrones! I absolutely adore your blog, pictures, recipes, writing and, well…everything!
Hi Deb, I have been reading your blog for more than 6 months now, although this is my first comment. I absolutely love your blog and have it open on at least one tab of my web browser all the time. You were my inspiration to start my own blog and i actually read most of your archive before i dared to start my own. I love the ‘suprise me’ button on your site and have clicked on it more often than i can remember. I even read through the entire comment guidelines section before posting one here. Just wanted to let you know i am a fan. I read your interview with Dianne the other day and my first thought was – Hey,i know Deb. I live in India and its hard to find plums or other stone fruit here, but i definitely want to try out these crepes. May be with apples :)
These look amazing.
And, I love corn, so please please please do not hold back.
Fantastic recipe as always! Definitely yummy.
These look amazing, but since I’m in Australia and we are no where close to summer yet I’ll have to wait for the stone fruit version for a few months. This has been bookmarked though, and will inspire other dessert ideas. Thanks Deb :)
This is a great method for crepes. try them with lemon juice and a sprinkle of powdered sugar….We also use crepes to make Cannelloni .
Gorgeous! I have been on a plum kick this summer myself, so this makes me want to run to the kitchen and start cooking, although I have neither plums nor a dishwasher.
This looks awesome!
What a lovely combination! I’ve been eating tons of stonefruit for the last month and can’t seem to get enough, I can imagine how good all those super sweet juices that always end up all over my chin and hands must be when soaked by a soft crepe…
As for the batter, I personally find that it actually works better and is easier to get cooked right when made a day ahead (plus, it feels so good to just pull it out of the fridge and start the crepe making right ahead).
You have me at “Sugar Plum.” Thanks for the great crepe-filling ideas!!
I just made something similar for breakfast before I had even seen this recipe, that’s funny! Yours is more exquisite though, I just used yoghurt instead of ricotta and no extra honey… Next time I’ll try it your way, looks delicious! : )
I am so with you on this. When something pleasurable becomes something essential I think natural enthusiasm dies for a short while. After my English degree I didn’t read a book for pleasure for a year. Can’t wait for your book. x
These look SO good! I’m thinking about crepes for weeks, but couldn’t decide on what to make. Have now!
I live in France and my French mother-in-law taught me how to make crepes. My recipe differs than the one here, but the enjoyment is the same! Another crepe-filling that I enjoy (and is relatively low cal) is made with apples. I cut the apples into chunks and sautée them in orange juice to soften them up. I sometimes add cinnamon (my favorite spice). To make it really fancy, I heat up some Grand Marnier and flambée them at the dinner table (no cinnamon in that case).
I usually cook spicy things, but one dinner I decided to go French- so NO spiciness and lots of butter, Hello Julia Child. When we got to dessert my guests mentioned how surprised they were that there was no chili in anything. Unbeknownst to them (and me) instead of cinnamon, I had added a mixture of Fofo’s Carribbean Spices. The filling was like chutney! It was hilariously yummy, and a real surprise to my French guest. Whoops!
I second (or forth or fifth) the corn love. It’s so cheap at the moment and my rabbits love the husks. I’m planning to try a cheesy corn polenta bake when it’s cool enough for the oven to go on.
These crepes look yummy. I always thought sugar plums were the little sweets made from dried fruit and nuts; never realised they’re also a type of plum!
Great recipe!
Kisses from Hong Kong,
Nicole
I didn’t think I could possibly love your blog more. And then you made a Game of Thrones reference. <3
Yes, I think this could pass for dinner anytime! Plums and ricotta all wrapped up together, heavenly!
~Brenda
I was completely sold once I saw those sugar plums! I am determined to find some in my area. Don’t think I’ve ever eaten one…or seen them for that matter…but, they sound delicious!
mmmmm how delicious! Looks like a perfect summer brunch idea :)
You get busy and then you think, I’m missing something and then you know, I haven’t had a recipe from you for quite a while. Love the crepe dessert and am shopping for the ingredients in a bit. Looks fantastic.
This sounds like a perfect dinner to me! I call it Brinner (I know, how tough was that?) but it’s something I do a fair amount when I’m just too busy to plan or cook a meal. I don’t have the luxury of putting that blame on a stove or 2 year old; my kids are grown and gone; for me it’s just that I can eat what I want to, eat what I want to. OK, that was dumb cause now Lesley Gore’s song will be in my head all day.
I just did an omelet with goat cheese and strawberries sprinkled with toasted almonds…enough of the same page to really be able to visualize and taste how wonderful this must be!
We had crepes for dinner too, just the other night…with sauteed apples, honey, and a dollop of Greek yogurt. I am sorry to say that it was without excuse, though and an entirely planned breakfast for dinner.
Hi! First of all, I love your blog, it makes my day when a new email pops into my inbox! I am a 13 year old who loves, loves, loves, to cook, bake, dream about cooking and baking, etc. I love how you post tons of recipes, like this one, which looks so delicious I might have to try it! Also, your Jacob photos are soooo adorable! Thanks again for having such an awesome blog!
oooh, i’ve always been a bit scared to try making crepes, but now feel like maybe i should give them a try.
funny, pistachios were never on my radar until i made a plum-pistachio upside down cake a few weeks ago, and now i’ve been keeping a constant stash in the freezer. love their green color!
Although I love to cook, I don’t do much of it in the Summer… but your gorgeous recipes… who can resist? I have never made crepes… they (along with a perfect pie crust) always seem to be just beyond my reach… yet, I am tempted… chicken and corn for the main and some seasonal fruit and ricotta for dessert… yum!
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I LOVE crepes but have never even attempted to make my own; I assumed it would be impossible without a crepe pan. This was actually super easy and you know? There aren’t even that many calories per crepe. I dusted with granulated sugar for a traditional crepe au sucre. Happy sigh, took me right back to Paris. Thanks again.
Wow I want to call this the sugar plum fairy. Deb, I just love the crepes here – I’m looking forward to trying variations on this dish. Maybe pears soaked in Zinfandel wine with a chocolate sauce – an excellent version that I encountered in the Farmer’s Market a year ago.
First, the Game of Thrones reference made my day.
Second, any tips for cooking the crepes? I always seem to either burn them or undercook them so they tear. I don’t know if my skillet is too hot, not hot enough, if I’m not leaving them alone properly, or what. But they never seem to come out just right.
Thanks!
Michelle — My tip is that the first one goes in the garbage. Sometimes I have beginners luck and then it’s the second one that is a bust. But accept one as a loss. Or a snack :) Sounds like for you it’s a matter of figuring out what temperature is best on your stove. I find that everyone’s “medium-highs” are different. It’s always safer to start on the low side and if one takes too long, you can nudge up the temperature for the next one.
You’re a George RR Martin fan, how cool! Yes, the books are great and I need to pester the library to get me the one that just came out…
Wow! This sounds fantastic. I’m sure the ricotta would cut the sweetness of the honey and plum and this would be fabulous! Thanks. Nothing better than an excellent crepe.
YOur blog is great, REALLY inspired me to cook something, will see how it goes, Im not really a cook but will see:))
These look just wonderful. I wish it was breakfast time again…
I’m not sure if this has been addressed before, and it’s rather unrelated to this particular post, but have you considered making a smartphone App for smittenkitchen? I have a droid, so forgive me if you already have one for iphone, but I find myself referring to smittenkitchen.com in the grocery store all the time, and it always takes forever to load on my little phone. Love your site Deb!
Lucky me – it was still Sunday breakfast time when I read this! So easy – can’t wait to try it with fresh blueberries and peaches from the farmer’s market.
Great recipe! Tried it for brunch today. I substituted agave nectar for honey and didn’t have plums or ricotta, so I settled for greek yogurt and bananas. They still turned out sweet and delicious! I also did not refrigerate the batter for an hour, I was just too impatient and they seemed to turn out just fine. I was a little weary of straying from my usual crepe recipe, but it was definitely worthwhile! Thanks!
Delicious! I made these this morning and they turned out great. I whisked them by hand and wasn’t patient enough to let the batter chill for the full hour (too hungry!). But they seemed to do ok. I also used a cast iron skillet instead of a teflon/nonstick pan and it worked very nicely. I used peaches as the filling and didn’t saute them at all…just cut them up and then when we filled the crepes with the ricotta and fruit, I drizzled a touch of melted honey over them. Definitely a keeper recipe! :)
Wow, those look amazing! I’m partial to crepes with just a nutella in them, but I might have to try this one. We made ricotta using your recipe a bit ago, and it was to die for.
Ah, awesomeness. I am so totally making these (forgive this though…) although a few will be made without the mint, for my husband who has a thing against mint.Go figure. He’s a lovely person in all other aspects, I promise!
Um, delicious?! These look amazing in every way, and PERFECT for quick and easy single girl dinners after a long day. Going on my cooking list right now.
this looks so good :)
I am so intimidated by crepes, I think they’ll have to be my next adventure!
I’m intimidated by them also! Just this morning I had amazing egg white crepes filled with goat cheese – with grilled tomatoes on top. So great! Then I saw this post.. I am definitely going to give them a try now. Thanks for always inspiring me and love the beautiful pictures!
I’ve had a fondness for crepes since that rainy day I spent sitting inside Creperie Saint Malo in the Montparnasse arrondissement of Paris. Will these take me back to there?
A question – when you say to cover with plastic wrap, do you mean put the wrap on the surface of the batter so it won’t get a skin? Because otherwise, does it really matter? Thanks for any clarification, can’t wait to try this recipe?
It seems like not having a working dishwasher makes the idea of cooking miserable and panic-inducing. Ours has been broken for over a month now (grr @ apartment maintenance people) and no matter how much I want to make delightful fruity pies with apricots and plums from the in-laws’ ranch, the idea of hand washing not only the pie tin and serving plates but also all four parts of the food processor changes my mind. Not that I should complain about eating all that delightful fresh fruit, but I start to feel guilty about not cooking. Like I should be apologizing to my beloved food processor and pie plates.
Have you ever swirled ricotta with a bit of maple syrup instead of honey? Try that and some baked apples with nutmeg over your Dutch babies once fall does arrive; it’s absolutely amazing.
The name of these itself makes me drool, let alone the photos! Open an restaurant please. I’d be there everyday.
This looks amazing. I love stone fruits. MMM, plums, peaches, nectarines. I’ve never thought about having them in a crepe though. LOVE this!
Nice recipe, but what is the relevance to ‘corn’? Or have I completely missed this?
These are beautiful crepes and I love the fact that you used a ricotta instead of the common cream cheese , and honey is perfect!! Sugar Plums are magical too!!!!
YUM! Perfect use for summer fruit. These look amazing.
Making crepes scares the living daylights out of me! I just feel like I could never flip them right (I have trouble enough with pancakes!) But I have to say, these look delightful and the plums look perfect.
Wow, this sounds fantastic! I absolutely love crepes, and the combination here with plums and ricotta sounds so lovely.
Oh, man. All of these flavors sound like they would be awesome together.
Rut? Rut? No way. You are always inspiring me — and others, too. Love crepes. Folks they are easy. Take Deb’s word, she’s always right. My favorite is Crepe Suzette. Sound daunting to make but are actually easy if you make the crepes a day before. Never thought of using ricotta in a crepe. Is this your home made ricotta? I have to try and make it. The ricotta I (no longer) buy is always dry and doesn’t have a very fresh taste. Quick corn recipe tip. Corn Tomalito (sp.?). I use the recipe on Allrecipes. I think it’s called Sweet Corn cake? Oh dear, I’ll have to double check. Last time I made it (with frozen corn) I ate the entire 8 x 8 inch pan (shhh) by myself. Oy vey.
You know, I’ve been seeing those gorgeous little containers of sugar plums in the greenmarket and looking for an excuse to buy them, but wasn’t sure what to do with them aside from munch! I’m going to have to give that a try.
There is nothing I don’t like about this recipe, sounds absolutely delicious! What a great treat for anytime of the day, too.
What a heavenly combination! I’ll definitely be trying those, hurray for plum season!
Those sound amazing.
CREPES. zomg. I know what’s for dinner. I also love ricotta. My thighs, not so much.
I just bought a ton of pluots, and I think they’d be wonderful in crepes. I love the idea of making crepes ahead – so easy!
ricotta and honey! one of my fav combos. Sounds delicious.
Wondrous! You keep giving me good reasons to go back into my kitchen. Ricotta has been calling me since you posted the recipe to make it at home. Sigh!
You’ve now made me want my/my mom’s strawberry crepes. And strawberries won’t be back until December! (I have an emergency supply of strawberries in syrup in the freezer, which I am trying to save.)
At least I have peaches and plums, for now.
This post is gorgeous, and succeeds in making me want to both make the recipe and have a child. You are so consistent in your inspiration! Brava!
I’m not gunna lie: I click on all of the links until I get to the Jacob one.
Those plums look like perfection! I am favorite grateful that we cook from the same farmers’ markets and that I can go get those plums this week!
These look fantastic! I think I’ll make these this weekend and get the mom of the year prize. :)
This looks heavenly. Thanks for sharing!
Divine. So divine that it inspired me to make plum clafoutis last week. Twice. Something about batter and plums. So good.
Do you think I could substitute Marscapone cheese for the Ricotta? I am not such a fan of Ricotta. Thanks
These look amazing! Now I know what i am having for lunch.
this looks phenomenal. I am going to add my amazingly tasty truffle oil honey. thanks for sharing.
Deb, I just got my copy of Everyday food, turned the page, and there you are! Wow! Congrats! Can’t wait til your cookbook comes out. :)
This is the most inventive recipe that I’ve seen in a long time. Those plums look fantastic, I’m sure they made an outrageous crepe!
Did you know they used your website in an official Google video on Youtube? Congrats.
I love how vibrant the plums are. Looks delicious.
Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Deb, this looks amazing, I am going to make some on Thursday and have them ready for my husband when he gets back from his trip. Hang in there with regards to the cookbook, we all know it is going to be amazing. I was thinking about it the other day and was wondering (1) will your publisher offer an ebook version as well as hard cover and (2) will you offer signed copies via your website for those of us who are not in NYC area? I can see myself buying an e version as well as a hard copy. Your are one of the few authors that I would want both.
I have decided that I should not read your blog in bed because all I want to do is eat it. And I, too, always discard the first crepe. Growing up, it was the “taste” before the real deal.
Oh, I would definitely eat this for dinner and dessert–all in one sitting, and likely in succession!
Hi Deb-Just received my MS Everyday Food issue and was thrilled to see you in it:) Congrats on such a wonderful feature! I’m sure your book will be amazing. Your crepes look fantastic. I grew up eating crepes my Hungarian mom makes. She fills them w/a soft cheese and some she fills with apricot jam…such a delicious meal:)
It was great to see you in Everyday Food!
Hello Deb, can you do something similar to the plums with strawberries instead?
This looks wonnnnnderful! What’s sweeter sounding than a sugarplum?
And not to worry — your dinner decision tailspin is a familiar one in my house, because there are TWO equally indecisive minds at work. Sheesh. I’m going to have to start pulling suggestions out of a hat.
hi deb, made these last night and they were fantastic!!! one question, when I went to lightly brush the pan with butter, i got confused and was wondering if the melted butter from the recipe list was supposed to go into the batter (which is what I had done) or if it was just for the pan. nonetheless it was scrumptious. also do you have any tips for flipping crepes? i found it slightly easier to flip when i made them smaller, but maybe you have a simple tip? all the best and love your site :)
klappy — My tip is (and dang, I really meant to put this in the recipe, and promise to add it later) you don’t have to flip crepes. You just don’t. It’s really a pain and you cook it on the flip side for all of 5 to 10 seconds, i.e. it was cooked through before it was flipped. I don’t think anyone is the wiser if they haven’t been flipped. However, if you want to, the way I do it is I use a small offset spatula and I lift an edge an inch or two up and I hold it there for 5 or 10 seconds, to take a little of the heat off of it. Then I grab that edge with both forefingers and thumbs and try to move fast enough that I don’t burn my fingers. If you have a larger offset spatula, you might have luck practicing lifting the whole thing with it, and turning it over flat. I’d love to hear how others pull it off.
jo — Thank you! There will be hardcover and an eBook. There will also almost definitely be a book tour so let us know where you are and we’ll see about getting me to you!
Katie — I’m sure it would be insanely delicious with mascarpone.
Teresa — I can’t remember ever getting a skin on my crepe batter; it’s mostly to keep it fresh until you use it. You can also transfer it to a jar with a lid or an airtight container but that would create an extra dish. Plastic wrapping your blender or other container is less of a clean up!
Victoria — Would love to. Definitely a project for after I finish the book!
Huge fan from hong kong – keep up the good work!!
Hi! I have been planning a small party for a few friends to celebrate a special occasion, just 5-6 people, and would love to make it a crepe party. Do you think it’s too risky to make the crepes together that evening? Should I prep them the day before and just warm them a little the night-of?
Thanks so much!
I love anything that can be made in advance… and this definitely just made me hungry at 10pm!
I LOVE crepes – I usually just put whip cream and strawberries in them with some maple syrup on top, but it would be nice to switch it up a little. I’m always hesitant to try a new recipe, but these look too delicious to pass-up. My brother and sister are coming to my apartment next week, so I think I’ll make them for breakfast…I’ll keep you posted on how they turn out!
ooh, looks so yummy!! we’re without a dishwasher since ours went on the fritz. the new one on order cannot get here fast enough!!
The phrase “sugar plum” is quite intoxicating!
I have been reading your blog for about a year now, and I am so thrilled to see you in the September edition of Everyday Food. Congratulations, Ms. Deb!!!
Look how cute you are in Everyday Food! Lovely to see the little one too. Congratulations!
sugar plums wow! i’m amazed you’ve been able to do all this while raising a child, i just had my first and can barely string five minutes together!
Yummy! I can’t believe how great that looks!
Ah yes — I’ve become quite a distracted baker lately myself, Deb. One question leads to another leads to an email and a walk around the block and a stop at Trader Joes and… you get the idea. These look just lovely. I’ll have to look for some nice plums at the market this weekend; thank you.
when i am “researching” recipes i always find myself on your site…appreciate your “adaptations” as well as comments/replies…your meticulous efforts reward your faithful followers with great recipes & your sept. ’08 b/w cookie recipe looks like a gem.
thank you deb!
I got my new issue of Everyday Food yesterday and just wanted to say I loved the article and the photos! great shots of you, jacob and the tasty foods!
I made something very similar to this recently but without the crepes. I really want to try plums like that, but I would recommend doing them with 1tsp water, the juice of 1/2 lime, 2tbsp rose syrup and 2tbsp icing sugar for a really rich flavour (which isn’t too floral, something I had feared when playing with the rose syrup.) It’s a bit of a mexican twist to your recipe I think, and tart enough to put a great end to a spicey meal when served just with some creme fraiche or fresh yoghurt (or even some vanilla ice cream!)
Keep up the good work! (I don’t have a dishwasher either, I feel your pain!)
Deb,
Thanks so much. I made a customized (more like bastardized) version of this, with nectarines. I subbed cinnamon for the nutmeg in the crepe batter and completely forgot about garnishing with nuts/mint. My nectarines were also a bit hard, so I sauteed them a bit longer and they softened right up! My boyfriend is badgering me to make these again. I can’t wait to make them again either! Thank you!!
-Emily
I second the request for iPhone app.
Deb! Long time reader, first time commenter. I just got my Food and literally freaked out when I saw your recipe. Way too excited. My husband thought I dropped our 5 week old. Seriously dude, way to go!
Oh yes, please. What a fab combo!
My daughter and I just made these this morning. I’ve always been a bit scared of making crepes, but these were AWESOME. She was practically licking the plate.
getting ricotta next week at Farmers On The Square from Keswick Creamery and then cooking these up, yum!
I can’t stop looking at these. I have absolutely no excuse to make them because I have a ton of leftovers to eat before I leave for vacation tomorrow…but boy are they tempting!
I check out your blog all the time and have made many, many things from it. Your birthday cake is my go-to yellow cake, always a hit. And I love the photography. Needless to say, I was so excited to see you in the latest copy of Everyday Food that I received today. Congrats! Can’t wait for your cookbook to come out.
Don’t know what’s plaguing your dishwasher, but I was ready to call the serviceman for mine when a neighbor recommended “Glisten,” a cleaning product which totally turned my scuzzy washer around. Three packets in a box, one to run alone, one with glassware, and the third is going in my slightly funky front loading washer! Heaven! Track it down…well worth the effort!
Crepes. Perfect for summer, perfect if you don’t have a dishwasher. Perfect if you love ricotta, honey and plums. Perfect if you can’t decide between colanders. Perfect for you, and for me :-)
Gee whiz ~ how are you able to read so many comments? wow. The dish looks lovely as much as it does delicious. My husband was just hinting around about crepes this week. Perhaps I will surprise him with some Sunday morning. Have a lovely day ~ Alexandra
Deb,
I was wondering if you (me) can find pistachios already shelled? I have only one-working hand Thanks arm. Shelling pistachios is not something I even want to try I love toasted almonds, tho’, and would use them in a pinch. But I would love to find a source ’cause I’ve seen alot of recipes using them.
Thank you very much:)
Maureen — I’ve bought them shelled before at nicer grocery stores (Fresh Direct in NYC, Whole Foods, etc.) but they do cost an arm and a leg. (Uh, no pun intended.) Absolutely worth it in your case, however. Keep them in the freezer and they’ll be good for easily a year.
This is great–I mixed the ricotta in the blender with the almonds and some maple syrup, and it was so yummy!!!! Love your blog!
oh my gosh, these look wonderful. I love making crepes. Took alot of practice to make them right but they are so wonderful!
I just have to say – I’ve made crepes before, usually using Jacques Pepin’s recipe, and these were by far the easiest, thinnest, and most delicious crepes I’ve made. I was worried after the butter solidified in tiny pieces after I forgot to cool the melted butter before adding cold milk, but I whisked the batter well before and after refrigerating it, and the crepes turned out great. I really liked how the acidity of the plums (I used normal ones) really complemented the ricotta, too.
My guests just left after a great crepe party, with this recipe. Every single crepe was perfect and everyone had an amazing, relaxed time. Thank you so much!
Looks fabulous! I have never made crepes before, but now am inspired.
This is a great recipe. Crepes are something I haven’t made in a loooong time so now I’m craving these. Also just saw in you in Everyday Food magazine!
Congratulations on your feature in Everyday Food! You look beautiful – Jacob, too!
So, I visit your blog almost every day, and have made tons of recipes from here. You are truly the only cooking blog that I faithfully consult. I also receive a Food everyday magazine, and you were featured in it for September! Yay!
Oh what gorgeous crepes :) I can never get mine as thin and perfect as that. Guess I need more practice, I can feel a batch coming on already :)
You must love to cook! (stating the obvious, I know) No way would I spend so much time on breakfast. ;)
But it’s an awesome recipe.
Wow – that looks sublime.
I love your blog and the ricotta combo with stone fruit: yum. I watched the ricotta video so between that and your recommendations, I’m definitely going to make this rich ricotta before summer is over (though there’s hardly been any summer here in the Northwest), even though I’ve tried not to succumb to using cream. (An exception I made is for raspberry fool. Mashed berries, sugar and cream…. that’s what I call easy living!). Thank you for keeping up the blog even when the inspirations may be hard to find…
p.s. On my kitchen-blog, I’ve been writing about the summer abundance of food… but doing so, I was struck by the discordant reality of the terrible famine in Africa. I’ve asked my readers to donate to Unicef or another charity if they could. I’m hoping that others with food blogs will do the same — you have many more readers than I do. Thanks for considering it. http://tobykitchen.wordpress.com/2011/08/06/abundance-of-summer/
The crepes turned out perfect…each one of them….beautiful! The cheese was very simple and delicious! Thank you!!!
Fabulous!!!!
YOM. Those crepes look perfect. I just made some nice french crepes the other day but I think yours look better!
Awesome. Something to do with my egg share and my husband’s love of cheese!
When you mentioned the broken dishwasher, I briefly thought something must have happened to Alex! Good luck getting that taken care of… mine was broken for a month just before the holidays… they finally fixed it the day before I was having 30 people over for cocktails(!!).
I just wrote you a long, first thank you post that has vanished. Short version: the book is nearly finished– be amazed at yourself, we love everything from zucchini bats to “scalloped” tomatoes to this, and how is it possible that after all these posts no one commented on: “Close your eyes pretend you’re eating them on a boat in the Mediterranean, watching the sun slip behind the sea. Try not to impale your foot with a wooden racecar while you do, as it’s bad for morale.”
My kids are 9 and 7, cook your recipes, and clean up afterwards, but my beverage still came out of my nose when I read that line.
Hug hug and hang in there.
I just went to whole foods and bought a package of crepes…taking the lazy way out but still so excited!
I think you have to be part French. Those crepes look so authentic and delicious.
I discovered two things when I made these crepes this morning: 1) That they’re amazing and I can totally stuff myself silly and eat two large ones in one sitting (no judging!) AND 2) I CAN TOTALLY MAKE CREPES!! Ok, that last part sounded silly, but I tried making crepes years ago and they were a total disaster, and despite trying many other ambitious cooking projects since then (roasting a whole duck! Three lasagnas at once from scratch! No problem!)–I never tried to make crepes since that fateful day years ago. These turned out like a dream and I couldn’t stop with just one crepe. Anyhow, I’m now a rabid crepe monster and plan on making millions more by the weekend’s end. Thanks for everything Deb, you are amazing!
I haven’t made crepes in years but this recipe looked too yummy to pass up. I made them for breakfast this morning and am in love! They were perfectly light and not too sweet (I went light on the honey). Hallelujah for my 22 year-old 8″ calphalon omelette pan. It was the perfect size and the crepes turned out beautifully. Can’t wait to have leftovers!
I just made these and devoured too many of them for Sunday breakfast! Delicious, though I did skip warming/cooking/sweetening the plums. Here in California the plums (elephant hearts) are insanely sweet and flavorful right now so they needed only some lemon juice and a smidge of cinnamon. The only downside was my 9 year old son who considers himself quite the foodie and who announced just as I was digging in: “Your pancakes are better!” Too bad they can’t stay babies forever!
These were amazing! I do have to say that I regrettably forgot the ricotta when I was at the market, so we used vanilla yogurt that I did have in the fridge–it was a pretty tangy yogurt, so I was sure it wouldn’t be too sweet. The combination of the tangy with the sweet stone fruit and the buttery crepes–to die for! Kids loved it, husband loved it, it was substantial enough for dinner, it was ready in half an hour. . .can’t ask for better!
Someone knows how to stuff a crepe properly!
Plum compotes are amazing and I can’t believe that is true even when no sugar is added.
Hello,
Totally random question…how do you keep your stove so clean?
I have the same stove-probably the same NY sized kitchen and can’t keep my stove clean-at least not that clean!
I try to cook every meal and just can’t keep up so it’s really grimy and baked on.
Any tips?
Awesome blog-been a reader since the beginning.
this is pretty irrelevant to this recipe but your mention of corn obsession and then Krista’s comment about ‘corn plans’ and ‘corn queues’ reminded me of this and i had to post a link. It’s a song called “Corn Wine” from A Mighty Wind:
http://youtu.be/AUnEF492eAs
The song really sticks in your head a while. Sorry.
We invited our daughter and granddaughter to join us for dinner last night when we tried your Zucchini Fritters for the first time. We were all a bit surprised by how much we enjoyed them. We each tried them with the fried eggs and the sour cream topping and really liked them both ways. The recipe will be used often as we grow zucchini in our garden. We look forward to trying your Perfect Blueberry Muffins as we have blueberries in our freezer just waiting to be used.
This is about my 5th time making crepes and this time around it was by far the best attempt. Mine weren’t as pretty as yours but they tasted awesome. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe and the tips.
These were really good. I made them on Labor Day, with the two plums and two apples I had on hand; symbolically it was the perfect brunch for transitioning from late summer to autumn.
I disagree that the sauteeing is optional, even if you stick to only plums. It gives them a jamminess that pairs so beautifully with the ricotta, and it would be unfortunate to skip that step.
I made these and loved them. However I added lemon zest and honey to the ricotta. I also added in a bit of maple syrup whipped cream. Thanks for sharing!
These crepes were much easier to make than I expected- a great recipe! I have made them twice: once, with ricotta and blueberry curd and then again with sauteed peaches and creme fraiche. I can’t wait to try them savory. I think that these are going to replace the “pancake breakfast” around here as they are so easy and delicious (and the batter is made the night before.) Thanks!
Oh, heavenly. I made them this morning after making a special trip for some seriously good ricotta. The plums were the perfect accompaniment.
Super great, i made these today with your homemade ricotta… the nutmeg is the best part of these crepes. I used maple syrup instead of honey, and drizzled more on top. I’ll be serving these in the “Restaurant in my Living Room” later in August. Thanks so much for the inspiration :)
ooohh yummmyy..!! i like this so much. i will make this today itself.. Thanks for your great recipe.
Good crepes! Just made them without the nutmeg, smeared with Nutella and ate :) It’s national pancake day and world Nutella day so it seemed like the right thing to do…
I made crepes for Shrovetide Tuesday, yummm. Perfect recipe for 2, but make more if you have more people. Though I should say I only out lemon and brown sugar on them, no filling.
K not Shrovetide, just Shrov lol. Autocorrect.
I absolutely love your cookbook!! I bought it after every single recipe I saw online looked good and it was from you! :) tried the French silk pie last weekend and the husband and I absolutely died it was so good. Can’t wait to try more. Oh and the cookbook is gorgeous btw.
Okay, posting so late no one will ever see this, but … am SO making these, only with figs and maybe goat cheese?! Both of which are in my fridge right now! 8-)
So I was pretending to read my 2 year old a book while REALLY reading your cookbook..(the things we do to keep our sanity) .and my Picky Larkin girl has just discovered plums…so as I was “reading to her” she said …”the boy eats purple plums like me!!!” Yeah. It was super cute…
This is probably a very silly question, but how do you reheat the crepes if you make them in advance?
Hannah — Microwave, or you could place them in a covered dish in a low oven to rewarm them. I suppose you could re-toast them on the stove in a skillet too.
These are my go-to crepes; amazing. I am making 100 of them right now for a baby blessing on Sunday. Thanks for the recipe!
Excellent article. I certainly love this website. Keep writing!