For The Lovers: Strawberry & Chocolate Filled Crepes

This Valentine's Day, you can impress your lover or sweeten up a ladies night with strawberry and chocolate filled crepes! Crepes are easy to make and can be made with a variety of flavor combinations. Sweet crepes can be flavored with liquors to compliment your chosen filling. Some combination suggestions may be rum and chocolate, orange and chocolate, raspberry and chocolate, etc. Since the batter can be made in advance, you don't have to waste too much time in the kitchen during your date.

Makes 10-12 Crepes

Ingredients:

The Dessert Crepes:

• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 cup of Milk  (2% or Whole)
• 1/3 cup Water
• 1 cup All Purpose Flour (White)
• 2 tbsp of Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tbsp of Flavored Liquor; such as Grand Marnier, Kahlua, or Frangelico *Optional
• 2 tbsp Melted Butter

Other ingredients:

• 2 tbsp of Nutella, per crepe
• 1 tbsp of Strawberry Preserves, per crepe
• 1 tbsp of Strawberry Preserves, for sauce
• Splash of Orange Juice
• 1 tbsp Butter, solid
• 1 cup of Fresh Sliced Strawberries, for sauce (add additional for garnish)
• 1 shot of Flavored Liquor; such as Grand Marnier, Kahlua, or Frangelico *Optional
• Powdered Sugar *Optional

Instructions:

The Crepes:

1. Sift the flour into a medium bowl, then add the sugar.
2. In a separate small bowl, whisk the eggs till they are blended.
3. Mix in the milk, water, vanilla extract and optional liquor with the eggs.
4. Whisk the liquid egg mixture into the flour.
5. Melt the butter, then stir in 2 tbsp into the batter.
6. Cover the batter and refrigerate for at least two hours or up to 24 hours.
7. After chilling the batter, give it a good stir if it has separated. Heat an 8in non stick omelette pan over medium heat and spray pan with butter cooking spray.
8. Spoon ¼ cup of batter into the pan off the flame, tilting and rotating the pan back and forth until it is evenly coated.
9. Cook the crepe until it is almost dry on top and the edges are lightly browned. This only takes about a minute.
10. Loosen the edges with a spatula then flip crepe and cook for 15 seconds or until lightly browned.
11. Set crepes aside on a flat surface on some wax paper, repeating the process until the batter has all been used.

The Sauce:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the sliced strawberries, 1 tbsp of solid butter, 1 tbsp of strawberry preserves and 1 tbsp of sugar. Stir continuously while it melts.
2. Add a splash of orange juice and optional shot of preferred fruit liquor to the sauce. Swirl the ingredients in the pan and cook till the mixture is slightly bubbling and somewhat thick. Remove from heat.

The Assembly:

1. Take 1 crepe; spread 2 tbsp of Nutella over one half of the crepe and 1 tbsp of strawberry preserves over the other half of crepe.
2. Fold the crepe in half and then in half again. Repeat with the remaining crepes as many times as desired.
3. Place the crepes on a plate and spoon the sauce over the top. Garnish the dish with sifted powdered sugar and sliced strawberries.

*Left over undressed crepes can be frozen if separated by wax paper and placed in a freezer bag. Use them again with other fruit and/or chocolate combinations.

This recipe has been contributed by Leo Coulourides, our Culinary Specialist.