Reimagining dinner: one breakfast at a time.
In the last few years, I’ve noticed more and more people treating every home-cooked meal like a high-stakes, all-or-nothing project. They either cook full-blown meal, complete with a gorgeous protein accompanied by two sides, or they order seamless. They make an entire lasagna, complete with bechamal and homemade ragu Bolognese, or they pick up a pizza on the way home. If they don’t have time to cook a “proper” dinner, they won’t cook anything.
It doesn’t have be that way. There are tons of creative ways to reimagine a home-cooked meal. Roast some vegetables and pile them on top of toasted baguette with a smear of soft cheese for a dinner-sized. Grab a pack of tortillas and some cheese and make quesadillas with whatever odds and ends you happen to have in the refrigerator. Or—and this is a personal favorite of mine—make breakfast for dinner.
Breakfast for dinner can be anything you want, and you can usually throw it together with whatever ingredients you have one hand. It can be as simple as fried eggs with a side of toast or as elaborate as eggs Benedict with a luscious sauce Hollandaise. It can be completely savory (think a great vegetable frittata) or you can venture into the sweet side (hello, waffles and sausage!) No matter what you decide to make, it’s going to feel extra special it’s a morning food and you’re eating it after 5 pm.
These blackberry mascarpone crepes take that extra special factor to a whole new level. The crepe batter is based on the recipe that my mother used to make when I was a kid. She always stuffed them with sugared black raspberries. To make them even more special—appropriate for a date night breakfast—I’ve added a whipped mascarpone cream filling and turned the blackberries into a jammy sauce to spread inside and on top of the crepes.
However you decide to serve them, these crepes will become your new meal to make for dinner . . . or breakfast . . . and any time in between. They’re simple enough to whip up in a few minutes, but elegant enough to make for a special occasion meal. You can make them for your family on a weeknight or serve them to your significant other the next time they come over.
Whatever the occasion, they will be absolutely delicious.
Enjoy!
Crepes with Mascarpone Cream and Blackberries
(Serves 6-8, depending on size)
For the blackberries:
3 cups black raspberries
4 tsp sugar
1 tsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
For the mascarpone cream filling:
113 grams mascarpone cream (~½ cup)*
60 mL heavy cream (~¼ cup)
1 tbsp honey
For the crepes:
8 oz milk (~1 cup)
1 large egg
3 tbsp vegetable oil, plus additional for greasing the pan
½ tsp vanilla
3 oz all-purpose flour (~10 tbsp)
½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
¼ tsp baking powder
Method
For the blackberries:
Heat black raspberries and sugar in a sauce pot over medium heat until they come to a low boil; stir 3-5 minutes, until broken down and slightly thicker to a spooning consistency. Off-heat, stir in the lemon juice. Chill until ready to serve.
For the mascarpone cream filling:
Beat mascarpone in a bowl until soft and smooth. Whip in honey until distributed, then add heavy cream and whip until light.
For the crepes:
Heat the milk until it is hot to the touch, but not boiling.
Whisk egg in a large bowl to break up, then add milk, oil, and vanilla. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl to evenly distribute the salt and baking powder, then gradually whisk these dry ingredients into the wet until well-combined and smooth
Heat a large skillet over medium heat on the stove, until a drop of water sizzles when you drop it in. Pour a few drops of vegetable oil into the pan and swirl to coat.
Whisk crepe batter well to ensure it is well-incorporated, then ladle 1/3 cup batter into the bottom of the pan. Swirl the pan gently to spin out the batter. Cook at medium heat until the top of the crepe is set and the bottom is golden brown, about 1 minute. Use a large spatula to flip the crepe over. Cook on the second side for about 1 minute, or until cooked through. Lift out onto a large plate and keep warm.
To assemble:
Spread mascarpone cream onto one quarter of the crepe and top with blackberry compote. Fold the crepe in half over the filling, and then fold in half again, so that the filled quarter is completely covered. Flip over the folded crepe so that the filled layer is on top. Serve with extra compote on top.
*Volumetric measurements are estimates based on general accepted equivalents. This recipe has not been tested with them.
Originally posted February 17, 2020.
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