CARAMELIZED APPLE CREPES

Caramelized Apple Crepes image

Be sure to choose crisp apples whose texture will stand up nicely as they are cooked. We used Mutsu, but Granny Smith also work well.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 crisp apples, such as Mutsu, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (1 lemon)
2 tablespoon lemon juice (1 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons Calvados or brandy
1 cup creme fraiche
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting

Steps:

In a medium bowl, sift together flour and salt. Whisk in eggs, egg yolk, and about 1 tablespoon milk, forming a smooth batter with a pastelike consistency. Add remaining milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla; mix until no lumps remain. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a nonstick skillet, and stir into the batter; leave a film of butter in the skillet. Let the batter rest at room temperature about 30 minutes.
Heat oven to warm. Over medium-low heat, warm the skillet thoroughly. Stir batter, and carefully ladle about 1/4 cup batter into skillet. Rotate skillet so batter spreads out and thinly coats the bottom and edges of the skillet. Return skillet to heat, and cook crepe until edges turn golden brown and lacy, and start to pull away from the skillet, about 2 minutes. Using a knife or an offset spatula, carefully turn crepe over; cook other side until just golden, 30 to 40 seconds. Slide the crepe onto a heat-proof plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, stirring it before making another crepe. Stack cooked crepes on top of one another.
Loosely cover plate of crepes with aluminum foil, and place in the oven to keep warm.
Place apples in a medium bowl. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, and ginger. Toss to coat.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet set over medium heat. Add granulated sugar, and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar turns amber in color, about 5 minutes. If caramel starts to get too dark, remove skillet from heat. Add apples, and cook, turning apples over, until soft and completely caramelized. Pour Calvados into a measuring cup, then pour into skillet. Carefully ignite the alcohol, and allow the flame to burn out, 2 to 3 minutes, shaking skillet to toss the apples in the syrup. Remove apples from heat; let cool slightly.
Combine creme fraiche, remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and confectioners' sugar in a chilled mixing bowl. Whip mixture until light, fluffy, and almost doubled in volume.
Remove the crepes from oven, and transfer to six serving plates. Spoon a scant 1/2 cup caramelized apples onto each crepe, and dust lightly with confectioners' sugar. Spoon a generous amount of creme-fraiche mixture over apples. Fold crepes, and serve immediately.