Juicy, nectar-sweet peaches are one of the joys of summertime eating. In this southern-inspired dish, they are tucked into crunchy cornmeal crepes and then warmed in the oven until piping hot, to create a breakfast to linger over. A dollop of buttery mascarpone and a dusting of sugar provide the perfect finishing touches.
Peaches and Cream Crepes
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
2 large eggs
5 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. granulated sugar, plus more to taste
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
4 peaches, halved, pitted and thinly sliced
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
Canola oil for cooking
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
About 2 Tbs. heavy cream
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
To make the crepe batter, in a blender, combine the milk, flour, cornmeal, eggs, 2 Tbs. of the butter, the 1 tsp. granulated sugar and the salt. Process until smooth. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the peaches, lemon juice and sugar to taste, and toss to coat evenly. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes to allow the peaches to release some of their juice.
Lightly oil a 7-inch nonstick frying pan and place over medium-high heat until hot. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan and tilt the pan to cover the bottom evenly. Drizzle a little batter into any holes. Cook until the bottom is golden brown, about 1 minute. Flip and cook the other side until golden. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil to the pan as needed and stacking the crepes, separated by parchment or waxed paper, as they are ready. You should have 10 crepes, or 2 more than you need (the extra crepes are the cook’s treat!).
Preheat an oven to 400°F. Lightly brush a rimmed baking sheet with some of the remaining 3 Tbs. butter. In a small bowl, using a fork, stir together the mascarpone and enough cream to create a creamy mixture, then stir in granulated sugar to taste. Set aside for serving.
Place 1 crepe on a work surface. Spoon one-eighth of the peaches in an even layer on half of the crepe, then fold over the other half to cover. Fold the crepe in half again, to form a triangle. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with 7 more crepes and all of the peaches. Brush the tops of the filled crepes with the remaining butter. Bake just until hot throughout, about 5 minutes. To serve, place 2 crepes on each plate. Crown the crepes with a dollop of the mascarpone cream, and then sift confectioners’ sugar over the top. Serve at once. Serves 4.
Variation: In the summer, swap out the peaches for other stone fruits, such as nectarines, apricots or plums. Sliced bananas, lightly sautéed in butter with a little brown sugar, are delicious other times of the year.
by blog.williams
