Crêpes Normandes

Wickedly indulgent and loved by anyone with a sweet tooth, this is my variation on simple pancakes with butter fried apples, pears and caster sugar. This is delicious served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

PREPARATION: 15 MINUTES, PLUS 30 MINUTES RESTING
COOKING: 45 MINUTES
SERVES: 6 (MAKES 12 SMALL PANCAKES)

Ingredients
115g (4oz) plain flour
300ml (1⁄2 pint) milk
1 large egg
2 dessert apples
2 dessert pears
115g (4oz) caster sugar
40g (1, 1⁄2oz) butter
100ml (3, 1⁄2fl oz) double cream
2 tbsp Calvados (optional)
melted butter, for brushing pan

Method
1. Place the flour in a bowl, whisk the milk and egg together, then slowly mix into the fl our, whisking until smooth. Cover and leave the batter to rest for 30 minutes.

2. Cut the fruit into wedges and remove the cores. Carefully heat the sugar in a pan over a low heat until it forms a golden caramel. Remove from the heat and add the butter and cream – this will splatter and go lumpy at first, but if you mix it well it will soon become smooth. Add the prepared fruit and Calvados, if using, mix to coat the fruit, then set aside keeping the mixture warm.

3. Brush a 20cm (8-inch) frying pan with the melted butter and heat. Add a small ladleful of batter and tilt the pan to make it spread thinly and evenly. Cook for 1–2 minutes, flip with the help of a spatula and cook for a further 1 minute. Transfer the cooked pancake on to a warm plate and repeat until all the batter is used, brushing the pan with a little more melted butter as needed between pancakes.

4. Serve the pancakes folded over with some of the sticky fruits inside.

An extract from the book New Bistro by Fran Warde originally published in the FrenchEntrée Magazine.