Lemon Ricotta Crepes

Funny how I've never made crepes before, and now I've made them a few times. They're really easy and you can fill them with anything. I made these for my Eggland's Best little breakfast. The lemon and ricotta were a lovely addition.

For these lemon crepes I used a gluten free recipe from a cookbook I blogged about here. I added in the lemon juice and zest. There are many GF recipes on the web if you'd like to search around otherwise I have a regular glutened recipe linked below or use the one posted with this recipe.


Lemon Ricotta Crepes
adapted from Real Simple

Crepes
1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the skillet
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Glaze
1 thinly sliced lemon
1/2 cup plus
1 tablespoon sugar

Filling ( make ahead of time so flavors can combine)
1 cup ricotta
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey, plus more for serving

I have a wonderful glutened Crepes recipe here, you can add the lemon juice/zest to the batter. OR use this recipe posted above:
In a blender, blend the milk, eggs, flour, butter, salt, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar until very foamy, about 1 minute. Transfer to the refrigerator and let rest, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, boil 1/2 cup of water and the remaining ½ cup of sugar, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon slices and simmer until tender and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes; let cool.

Wipe a (8") medium nonstick skillet with butter and heat over medium heat. Add ¼ cup of the crepe batter and swirl the skillet so the batter completely covers the bottom of the pan. Cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently loosen the edge of the crepe with a spatula and, using your fingers, flip the crepe. Continue to cook until cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate, layer between wax paper pieces. Repeat with the remaining batter.

In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, ricotta, and honey. Dividing evenly, spread the ricotta mixture on the crepes (about 1 tablespoon each) and roll up. Serve topped with the lemon slices and drizzled with additional honey.

The crepes will keep layered between wax papers in a large baggie for a few days in the fridge. Just warm up in the microwave and add filling.

my gluten free lemon crepes, layered between wax paper

roll them or fold them

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enjoy,

Chocolate Marshmallow Filled Cupcakes

For my Valentine's (and myself) I made these Gluten Free Chocolate Marshmallow Filled Cupcakes. I made the kid's race track banquet these cupcakes back in December (see pics), and I have been thinking of them since, so I made them GF! A basic chocolaty cupcake with a vanilla marshmallow filling and chocolate frosting glaze, like those Hostess cupcakes. These were SO good! Soft tender cupcakes with a creamy filling....and they never knew they were made gluten free! :)
*Note, you may also use regular chocolate cupcakes if you're not GF, here's a recipe I use.

ignore my sad piping skills, next time I'll use my tip

Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes from No Gluten No Problem

1/2 cup salted butter
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp GF pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups Artisan Gluten-Free Flour Blend
1 tsp xanthan gum
3/4 tsp GF baking powder
3/4 tsp GF baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Line a standard cupcake tin with paper liners.
2. Heat the butter, water and cocoa in a saucepan over medium heat until the butter is melted.
3. Meanwhile, put the sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the butter-cocoa mixture and mix at low speed for about 5 minutes, until cool.
4. Add the egg and mix to incorporate.
5. Add the sour cream and vanilla, mix to incorporate, and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
6. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients - the flour through the salt - and whisk to mix.
7. Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix for about 10 seconds at medium-low speed to incorporate with the wet ingredients.
8. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for an additional 5 seconds at high speed, just until everything is mixed and smooth.
9. Divide the batter evenly among the paper-lined cups. Make the top of the batter as smooth as you can.
10. Bake for 25 minutes.
11. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove from the tins and let cool completely on a wire rack.


Marshmallow Vanilla Filling
(makes enough for 24 cupcakes) adapted from Marzipan Mom

1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 oz marshmallow fluff
food coloring, optional

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and salt and blend well. Add the marshmallow cream and beat only until combined. Add food coloring if desired. Add to a pastry bag for filling cupcakes. Store at room temperature.
Once cupcakes are cooled, take an apple corer and scoop out a little of the middles of each cupcake, saving the insides to add a top later. Pipe/squeeze a little filling into each cupcakes, replace tops with a little of the cupcake's insides.
Save some filling to squiggle or write on top of cupcakes with. Use a small writing tip such as a 1 or 2 D.


Chocolate Glaze
(makes enough for 24 cupcakes) from Marzipan Mom

1 cup sugar
3 ounces espresso (enhances the chocolate flavor, could use coffee or water)
1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 sticks butter

In a medium saucepan, bring the sugar and espresso to a boil. Whisk in the chocolates, cocoa powder, and salt until smooth. Place the mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. On low speed, add the corn syrup and butter. Beat until smooth and cool. Store at room temperature. The mixture should be somewhat liquid so that it makes a smooth icing on the cupcake, but not so runny that it drips down the sides. It will thicken up the longer it sits, I had my in the fridge to speed up the process and thicken more. If it is too stiff, you can microwave it for about 10 seconds once or twice until it is the correct consistency. Add to cupcakes, decorate as desired. Keep at room temp.

(click pics to see)

(regular cupcakes for the race track kids, far right ones are ganache filled)

my GF cupcakes

Regular chocolate marshmallow filled cupcakes 

with a chocolate & vanilla cream cheese frosting swirl

Regular chocolate marshmallow filled cupcakes 

with a chocolate & vanilla cream cheese frosting swirl

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enjoy,

Chocolate Cherry Strawberry Ganache Cake

We celebrated our oldest's 13th Birthday the other week, and I always ask what kind of cake they'd like. She chose a chocolate cake with strawberries and cherries and chocolate frosting. Here's what I came up with. A rich chocolate cake with a whipped cream & fruit filling with ganache poured over each layer. I used the same chocolate cake as the Oreo cake and the filling as well but with fruit instead. I attempted to do a "poke cake" and have ganache go into each layer, but my pokes weren't big enough to fill them much, next time. As I was piping the ganache on top, my bag exploded and Whoops!! haha! This cake was SO good, very rich and chocolaty.

Chocolate Cake
by Hershey's Perfect Chocolate Cake

2 c. sugar
1-3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. Hershey's Cocoa
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c. boiling water

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 9-inch round baking pans, lining with parchment.
-Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
-Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.
-Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).
-Pour batter very carefully into prepared pans.
-Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
-Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans and place onto wire racks.
-Remove parchment and cool completely.



For filling:
1/3 c. whipping cream
2 tsp powdered sugar
small dash vanilla extract
1/4 C. ea. Chopped fresh strawberries and jarred cherries, drained (if not fresh, pitted)

-Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff.
-Gently fold in the chopped fruit

Ganache I made x2 (will have extras)
single batch from Joy of Baking

8 ounces (227 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes.  Stir with a whisk until smooth.

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enjoy,