Spiced Pumpkin Crepes With a Apple Pear Topping

SarasotaCook's Note:

What a great Fall desert. I love to serve this with some candied pecans and fresh apples and pears in a pumpkin spice over the warm crepe. You can always add some fresh whipped topping with amaretto if you want- that is optional. All I can say is that this is such a decadent dessert. And the best part, you can make every piece of it ahead of time. Just reheat the crepes and filling in the microwave for a few minutes and the rest is done.

• Total Time: 24 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 24 hrs
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 8.0 Crepes

Crepes

• 4 large eggs , beaten
• 1 cup whole milk (no low fat)
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons melted butter (no margarine)
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt

Filling

• 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
• ½ cup mascarpone cheese
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup , makes a big difference in taste (prefer real if possible)
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt

Two Toppings

Fruit

• 1 apple , thin sliced in wedges skin on (McIntosh)
• 1 pear , thin sliced in wedges skin on (Bosc)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• ¼ cup apple cider
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Pecans

• 1 cup pecans , chopped
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 egg white

Optional Garnish

• amaretto flavored whipped topping (2 cups whipped cream, 1 tablespoon amaretto)

Directions:

1. Crepe Batter -- In the blender, add the eggs, milk and melted butter and pulse to combine. Add the flour, sugar and salt and blend until smooth. Place in a small bowl and cover with saran wrap over night. IMPORTANT to keep over night.
2. Fruit Garnish -- In a small pot, add the apple, pear, butter, spice, brown sugar and apple cider and mix well. Bring to medium heat and cook 5-8 minutes until the fruit begins to soften and the apple cider has reduced a bit and the sauce thickens. Once again, remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Cool and cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Make ahead until ready to make your crepes. I serve this chilled. Make a day ahead.
3. Crepes -- Now, I love to make these ahead too. After the batter sat over night, you can make these 1-2 day ahead. Just reheat them in the microwave and desert is done.
4. In a small NON STICK saute pan (NON STICK is important for this), spray with Pam or a non stick spray, then heat to medium to medium high heat. Pour a thin layer of the batter and I mean thin. Just enough when you swirl the pan to coat the bottom. NO more. You are not making a pancake, but a thin crepe. JUST enough to coat the bottom of the pan is all you need. When side of the crepe starts to release, flip with a spatula. It should only take seconds, NOT minutes. Flip over the crepe and cook about 10 more seconds crepe is now finished. It will be lightly golden but not brown. Remove and cool on a rack of even just a piece of parchment paper. I usually just stack them up with the parchment paper between each crepe and wrap well with saran or plastic wrap and keep refrigerated.
5. Pecans -- Preheat the oven to 350. In a small bowl, mix the egg white, sugar and cinnamon. Then add pecans and stir until coated. Place mixture on a non-stick sheet pan or I use just a small baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper and cook at 350 degrees for 5 minutes - then stir. Cook for 4 more minutes - then stir. Another 2 or 3 minutes until the nuts look dry. Just remove and cool. Place in a small baggie or small tupperware until you are ready for desert. Make several days in advance if you want.
6. Filling -- Mix the Pumpkin puree, cheese, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. In a small pot on medium heat, cook 3-5 minutes to combine all the flavors and the cheese melts with the pumpkin. Remove and transfer to a small bowl and cover. Refrigerate until ready to use. Just heat in a small microwaveable bowl on medium until warm but not boiling. Just warm when ready to make the crepes.
7. Assemble the Crepes -- I warm my crepes in the microwave. Since they are already in sheets of parchment paper they reheat in just a minute or two in the microwave on medium heat. don't cook them on high as they will get hard. Just a minute or so is all they take, 30 seconds and then flip the stack over and reheat the other side. That's it.
8. Make sure you take the fruit out so you can take the chill off. And at this point, mix the amaretto with your whipped topping. Now you can make it fresh or you can buy the topping either way.
9. Heat up your pumpkin filling just 2-3 minutes on medium in the microwave until warm. Then, lay your crepe out flat and fill with some of the pumpkin filling on 1/2 of the round crepe (or like a half moon). Fold over once to make a half circle and then again to make a quarter. Garnish with some of the chilled pears and apples, whipped topping and candied pecans. Add a sprig of mint if you feel "fancy.".
10. It is a very decadent, fancy dessert without all the work. It is all done ahead which is the best part. It looks like you spent hours and you didn't -- really a great easy desert.