Recipe of the Week: Cocoa Crepes With Mascarpone and Blackberries

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/08/cocoa-crepes-with-mascarpone-and-blackberries.html

My Father-in-Law (aka The Gourmet Chef) made these for dessert a while back and they were absolutely amazing!  Like, fill your mouth with heavenly delights amazing.  They have the perfect blend of flavors.

Cocoa Crepes With Mascarpone and Blackberries
Recipe by Jenny McCoy on seriouseats.com

These incorporate cocoa powder - I recommend Valrhona brand - into the crepe itself; the crepes are then rolled with blackberries and a mascarpone filling.

For the Cocoa Crepe Batter:
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 cup whole milk

For the Mascarpone-Blackberry Filling:
2 cups mascarpone
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 pints blackberries

First, for the cocoa crepe batter combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.  Strain mixture though a fine-mesh sieve and let rest in refrigerator for one hour or up to two days.

Next, over high heat, warm a non-stick saute pan or crepe pan, lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray, until very hot.  Reduce heat to medium, ladle about 1 ounce of batter into pan, swirling batter until it evenly coats base of pan.  Similar to a pancake, cook the crepe until small bubbles appear and batter is matte in color.  Gently flip the crepe and cook for about five more seconds.  Invert pan over a plate or parchment-lined tray, lay crepe flat to cool, and repeat with remaining batter.  (To evenly distribute the crepe on the pan, take the pan off of the heat before adding the batter, swirl and then put the pan back on the heat.)

For the mascarpone-blackberry filling, use a large bowl and stir the mascarpone, cream, and sugar together with a rubber spatula until smooth. (Honestly, using a mixer should work just as well)

Finally, dollop about 2-3 tablespoons of filling in the center of each crepe, top with 5-6 blackberries, and gently fold crepe in half twice.  Scatter the remaining blackberries over the folded crepes.

Enjoy!  No, seriously. Enjoy.

Most Recent Read: Onward

I enjoyed reading Onward, and would highly recommend it. Or at least the first few chapters.  Granted, I would take it with a grain of salt; it is a book about Starbucks written by Starbucks' CEO, Howard Schultz.  Even so, I found Schultz's insights and ideas inspiring.  Furthermore, Schultz's passion for life was contagious, transcending the pages of the book to motivate me to work harder and dream bigger.

One of my favorite quotes from this book shows Schultz's passion, as well as his moxie:  "There are moments in our lives when we summon the courage to make choices that go against reason, against common sense and the wise counsel of people we trust.  But we lean forward nonetheless because, despite all risks and rational argument, we believe that the path we are choosing is the right and best thing to do.  We refuse to be bystanders, even if we do not know exactly where our actions will lead.  This is the kind of passionate conviction that sparks romances, wins battles, and drives people to pursue dreams others wouldn't dare.  Belief in ourselves and in what is right catapults us over hurdles, and our lives unfold. "Life is a sum of all your choices," wrote Albert Camus.  Large or small, our actions forge our futures, hopefully inspiring other along the way."

While the story focuses on Starbucks' rise and fall in the past couple years, it also touches on issues relevant to today's society as a whole, such as the tough economy and globalization.  It was interesting to read how Starbucks has tried to keep their products relevant to the areas the stores are located (which is everywhere, except Antarctica and the Moon) by incorporating local ingredients.  For example, in China they have developed more oriental flavored drinks, such as Peanut Mocha Frappuccino, Iced Oriental Beauty with Aloe and Black Sesame Green Tea Frappuccino.

I'm just looking forward to the seasonal flavors here in the States.  I hear the gingerbread hot chocolate is divine.  Something to look forward to this winter, other than Christmas of course.