Inspired by Julia Child’s 100th birthday, I decided to make her amazing crepes, but with a twist: Dark Chocolate Crepes with Blueberry Cream.
In honor of Julia Child’s 100th birthday this August 15th, my #SundaySupper group is celebrating with PBS Food to honor this cooking legend with her amazing recipes. I have always been intimidated by French cooking until I made my first Beef Bourguignon. I quickly realized that this amazing meal was basically a beef stew.
It put things in perspective for me, not that I’m diminishing this truly amazing meal! So, to celebrate the extra-ordinary life of Julia Child, the American who brought French cooking to the family home, I decided to tackle something I’ve always wanted to make: chocolate crêpes.
Crepes alone can be made into a savory or sweet dish. This ultra thin pancake (remember simplifying makes it less scary!) can be filled with fresh fruit, whipped cream, nutella or even chocolate mousse to make a decadent dessert.
The French also like to make a savory dinner with crepes, filling them with left overs, whether it be chicken, shrimp or even beef bourguignon.
I took Julia’s basic crepe recipe and altered it with the addition of dark cocoa powder. I quickly refrigerated my chocolate crepe mix, hoping I would make them the next morning for breakfast. Well, it sat there an extra day and I was a little apprehensive whether my crêpes would turn out or not.
I had read that the batter needed to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours so that the flour particles could expand in the liquid, insuring a light, thin crepe.
And I’m happy to report that it worked!
The first crêpe is your experiment, to determine whether your batter is the right consistency or not. It shouldn’t be thick and heavy, but just light enough to coat a spoon.
The cooking of the crepes is like a dance. You have to get the steps in the right order, pay close attention and keep with the rhythm. Get the pan piping hot, then remove from heat. Pour just enough batter into the hot pan with one hand. Turn and twirl and rotate the pan with the other hand to coat the pan.
1-2-3.
1-2-3.
Let the chocolate crepe brown slightly. Run the rubber spatula along the edges to take a peek and loosen the crepe. Gently flip the crepe over.
1-2-3.
1-2-3.
Doh! This is where I usually step on my proverbial partner’s toes. Flipping a crepe takes talent – talent that I am lacking! I figured out that the easiest way for me to semi-gracefully flip a crepe is to use two rubber spatulas. Success!
<resume dance>
Flip the crepe. Grease the pan. Heat the pan and start all over again.
1-2-3.
1-2-3.
I filled my lovely dark chocolate crepes with blueberry cream, to make this an antioxidant rich dessert – funny, I know, but it makes perfect sense for me! I used honey to sweeten the cream, but not just any honey. I hunted down and scored some amazing blueberry honey to complete my theme.
Dark Chocolate Crepes with Blueberry Cream
These chocolate crepes are perfect with any filling, from simple fruit to chocolate mousse. Recipe adapted from Julia Child
Ingredients:
- 1 cup water, cold
- 1 cup milk, cold
- 4 eggs, large
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
- 4 TBS butter, unsalted, melted
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 12 oz blueberries
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 TBS honey
- 1/2 pint heavy cream
- 1 oz chocolate chips, dark, grated
- 3 TBS powdered sugar
Directions:
- In a blender pulse 4 times:
- 1 cup water , cold
- 1 cup milk , cold
- 4 eggs, large
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Mix in and blend until combined, about 1 minute, scraping down sides as needed:
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
- 4 TBS butter, unsalted , melted
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours so that the flour particles are able to expand in the liquid which will result in a light, thin crêpe.
- The batter should have the consistency of a light cream, just thick enough to coat a wooden spoon. If, after making your first crêpe, it seems too heavy, beat in a bit of water, a spoonful at a time. Your cooked crêpe should be about 1/16 inch thick.
- Lightly coat your non-stick crépe pan with:
- 1/4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- Set pan over moderately high heat until the pan is just beginning to smoke, then immediately remove from heat and, holding handle of pan in one hand, pour with your other hand a scant ¼ cup of batter into the middle of the pan.
- Quickly tilt and rotate the pan in all directions to run the batter all over the bottom of the pan to create a thin film. (Pour any batter that does not adhere to the pan back into your bowl) This should only take 2 or 3 seconds.
- Return the pan to heat for 60 to 80 seconds, until bottom of the crêpe is lightly browned, then jerk and toss pan sharply back and forth and up and down to loosen the crêpe.
- Run a rubber spatula along the edges of the crêpe to check if browned and ready for flipping. Turn the crêpe by using 2 rubber spatulas.
- Brown lightly for about ½ minute on the other side. This second side is brown and spotty, and is typically used for the inside of a filled crêpe.
- As they are done, slide the crêpes onto a rack and let cool several minutes before stacking on a plate.
- Continue cooking the crêpes, greasing the pan as needed with remaining:
- 1 3/4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- For the filling, purée in a food processor:
- 6 oz blueberries
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 TBS honey
- In a chilled bowl using a hand blender or stand mixer, whisk until stiff peaks form:
- 1/2 pint heavy cream
- Fold blueberry mixture into the whipped cream mixture and refrigerate at least 30 minutes prior to serving. If you are going to use a piping bag to add cream to the crêpes, transfer blueberry cream to the piping bag and then refrigerate.
- Garnish finished crêpes with:
- 1 oz chocolate chips, dark , grated
- 3 TBS powdered sugar
- 6 oz blueberries
Prep Time:
Yield: 15 servings
Cook Time:
Renee says
Gorgeous crepes and a fantastic combo with the blueberry cream. This will satisfy any chocolate craving.
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen says
This is a fantastic recipe Laura! I think chocolate and blueberries are great together, yet don´t see them often. Beautiful pics!
Vera Zecevic says
Hi Laura! Another great recipes ! I really like how fits the color of Blueberry Cream! Nice
Tora Estep says
Beautiful pics and the crepes and the blueberry cream sound wonderful.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
These crêpes look fantastic and I’m so jealous of your blueberry honey! 🙂
Jen @JuanitasCocina says
These are gorgeous! I’m going to have to change up our regular crepes with these chocolate ones! YUM!
Cindys Recipes says
Wow Laura! These sound soooo good!
Heather @girlichef says
Those are stunning! I have never tried a chocolate crepe and I need to remedy that SOON…they look glorious!
Anne @ Webicurean says
Those look scrumptious!
Chelsea says
Blueberries and cream inside chocolate crepes?! Sounds amazing!
Sarah says
Omg, CHOCOLATE crepes? And BLUEBERRIES?? It’s veritable health food!! I think this should be breakfast lunch and dinner 😀
kathy says
Laura,
Fabulous crepes! It has been forever since I’ve eaten or prepared a crepe. I have to tell you, I really love your blueberry cream. They are my favorite berry EVER!
Thanks for the reminder and inspiration.
Lane @ Supper for a Steal says
Gorgeous and I bet delicious!
Samantha @FerraroKitchen says
Laura, these are gorgeous! And you know what I just realized!? I made your kumquat cardamom bars a while back!! I think I tweeted you and told you…I didn’t realize you were in #SS :)) Thank you so much for being a part this week!
Renee says
That’s such a great looking dessert, and you have made some really beautiful pictures here. That looks like something that’d be great at a party! Nice job. 🙂
Suzanne Perazzini says
Those crepes look fantastic – lovely photo. I enjoyed your story of the dance and I know what you mean. You can’t exactly trot off and attend to something else. It is all-consuming while it is happening.
Katy says
Wow, these are gorgeous! And such attention to detail, they would be a showstopping dessert 🙂
kitchenriffs says
I’ve made Julia’s crepe recipe dozens of times, but it never occurred to me to add cocoa powder. Great idea! Learning how to flip crepes is fun – although be prepared for have several land on the floor while you’re mastering your technique. I’ll bet you can imagine how I know this. 😉
Amy Kim says
These crepes sound heavenly. I love the fact that the chocolate is part of the crepe and not a filling!
Also love your dance/waltz analogy!
Kim Bee says
I think I just fell madly in love with you. This is spectacular.
sunithi says
This looks Fab and the step by step pictures are awesome. Making crepes can seem intimidating , but not after your pics ! Thanks for sharing ….. decadent & lovely 🙂
Brandie @ Spoon and Saucer says
You gotta love a woman who adapts a recipe to make it chocolate. LOVE. Great idea, I mean, how could chocolate crepes be bad? Well done!
Maureen says
I’ve never made chocolate crepes but I LOVE crepes so this recipe is very much “me”. I love it. A great tribute to Julia.
Sarah says
where does one score blueberry honey? I want some! I would slather that on my shoe and eat it too.
Jenny says
They look delicious. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who struggles with flipping pancakes!
yumgoggle says
Delightful crepes Laura! I love the dark chocolate twist…Gives my favorite breakfast more attitude. I am thinking of fresh berries and stone fruits. Wow, a breakfast for the whole family to enjoy…
Anyhoo, we have just recently launched a food photo submission site, http://www.yumgoggle.com/gallery/ that allows you to showcase all your great work and share it with all of our visitors. Your phenomenal photos have caught our attention. We’d be proud to have your work as part of our growing collection to continue to have a larger reach and further inspire all fellow food lovers out there! (sorry for the blatant shameless plug)!
Jeanne @JollyTomato says
Wow – these are gorgeous! I love the combination of blueberries and chocolate, and the blueberry honey is a great touch. But what I’m really amazed at is how artfully you do the “dance” of cooking crepes – and manage to photograph the steps at the same time. Now that takes some serious coordination!
EA-The Spicy RD says
Just divine! I have a gluten-free crepe recipe on my blog that I’ll have to try this with. Love the addition of cocoa to the batter, and the yummy blueberry cream. Oh, my!
Liz says
Oh, yum!!! I’ve only made chocolate crepes once, but you’ve convinced me to add these to our menu again. Perfect with berries and cream! And I think I’ll try Julia’s basic recipe, too 🙂
Javelin Warrior says
These look so delicious! I love the use of fresh blueberries and that they’re made with dark chocolate… I’m featuring this post in today’s Food Fetish Friday (with a link-back and attribution). I hope you have no objections and thanks always for keeping me inspired with new ideas…
Jamie (Mama.Mommy.Mom) says
I’ve never attempted crepes, though I really should. I do love them! These would be excellent with bananas as well!
Jamie @ http://www.mamamommymom.com
Here says
Hello, great read on that one about Crepe recipe. Nice blog. Keep up posting! Cheers, Midas.