Lemon Crepes
crepes
Looking for the perfect Springtime dessert? This Lemon Crepes recipe might just be it! These thin, light pancakes with a lemon mascarpone-cottage cheese filling are topped with a homemade lemon curd for a sweet taste of citrus in every bite. It's a delicious recipe for a Mother's Day brunch or any day.
Ingredients
Lemon Curd
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- zest one lemon
- ½ cup sugar
Crepes
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted divided
Lemon Filling
- 3 cups low-fat cottage cheese 16-ounces + 1 cup
- 2 ounces mascarpone cheese room temperature
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- zest one lemon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons milk add one tablespoon at a time
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
Lemon Filling
- Place a colander over a bowl and line it with 2 layers of dampened cheesecloth.
- Place the cottage cheese into the colander and cover with plastic wrap. Place a heavy object on to the cottage cheese and let stand for 3 hours.
(I use a bowl filled with water)
Lemon Curd
- In a small bowl, beat the eggs.
- Place a medium bowl over a pot of simmering water or use a double-broiler. Do NOT allow the water to come to a boil. Keep it at a simmer.
- Put the butter, lemon juice, zest, and sugar into the bowl and stir until butter is melted and sugar is completely dissolved. The mixture will no longer feel gritty when rubbed between two fingers.
- Whisking constantly, slowly ladle a little bit of the lemon mixture into the eggs.
- Slowly add the egg mixture to the lemon mixture while whisking continually.
- Continue to whisk and cook until lemon curd is thick, up to 20 minutes or more.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Crepes
- In a blender, combine the crepe ingredients - eggs, milk, salt, flour, vanilla, sugar and only ONE tablespoon of melted butter.
- Blend until completely combined. Scrape the sides down the sides of the blender, removed from the base as needed.
- Cover and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat a crepe pan or 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Brush lightly with melted butter.
- Using a scant 1/4 cup of batter, pour into the center of the pan. Gently and quickly swirl the pan to evenly coat the bottom.
- Cook for about 1 minute before circling the edges with a hard spatula to loosen. The edges will be a light golden.
- Guide the spatula under the crepe and flip to cook on the other side for about 30 seconds or more until cooked through and golden.
Place on to a plate until ready to assemble.
Lemon Filling - continued
- Place the drained cottage cheese, mascarpone, cheese, lemon juice and zest, vanilla, sugar, and one tablespoon of milk into a blender.
- Mix until smooth and well combined, adding additional milk one tablespoon at a time if necessary.
Assembly
- On a plate or clean work surface, place about 3 tablespoons of lemon filling down the middle of one crepe. Fold the two edges over and turn the crepe right side up. Gently flatten so that the filling is evenly distributed throughout the crepe.
- Add a dollop of lemon curd with a piping bag. or with a spoon.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve.