When you wrap these lovely delicate crepes over fresh local peaches, whipped cream and a crunchy walnut praline, it is an absolute heavenly summertime treat!
When peaches are in season, guess what…you got it, I am thinking of ways to implement this wonderful delicious sweet fruit into my cooking and baking. When we had the orchard many years ago, Dad planted acres and acres of peach trees, and we had lots! Coming from a large family, we would makes sure we got our fill of this delicious fruit.
Peaches are good for you too! They promote a healthy digestion, and a boost to your immune system, which we all need these days. It’s high in Vitamin A, which in turn helps to keep our eyes healthy, and improves the appearance of our skin. Since it is high in Vitamin C which makes this fruit high powerful antioxidants to prevent free radicals from forming which is linked to the development of cancer. So the next time you are in the grocery store or market, make sure you pick up a basket of peaches.
Helpful Tips:
Crepes: when making this delicate thin pancakes, it’s a recipe that you don’t want to rush with. The batter does require some resting time, however, if you don’t have a crepe pan and use a skillet like I do, then my suggest is to enjoy it while you are making these crepes, it is an art, and once you master it, you will want to makes these over and over again!
The trick to get thin crepes is the quickly tilt and rotate when pouring the batter into the medium-hot skillet. If you are fortunate enough to have a crepe pan, then it should be fairly easy for you.
Walnut Praline: when making this praline, you need to work quite quickly. Once the sugar is melted, and the walnuts are added and coated with the sugar, then quickly pour onto the baking sheet lined with foil coated with butter.
Filling: is straight-forward by beating the cream cheese and adding the whipping cream until peaks form. I suggested to add Grand Marnier for a fruity flavour but you always substitute vanilla extract or maple syrup.
Ingredients:
Crepes: Hungarian crepes are similar to the original French crepe with ingredients of eggs, milk and flour. This sweet crepe recipe has additional ingredients of vanilla, and melted butter.
Walnut Praline: all you need is sugar and walnuts
Filling: light cream cheese, and I wanted to keep this light and not too heavy, also need, powdered sugar, heavy whipped cream, peaches and the option is to add Grand Marnier or can substitute vanilla or maples syrup
Hungarian Crepes with Creamy Peaches and Walnut Praline (Palacsinta)
Equipment
- skillet, blender or food processor, baking sheet
Ingredients
Crepes: makes 12-14 crepes
- 2 free-range large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk (2% or 3% milk)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter
- 2 tsp unsalted butter or olive oil
- dash of salt
Walnut Praline:
- 1/2 cup raw fine sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Filling:
- 1/2 cup light cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp Grand Marnier or Brandy (can substitute vanilla extract or maple syrup)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and diced
- mint for garnishing
Instructions
Crepes:
- Beat eggs with a wire whisk in a large bowl until frothy, then blend in milk, and vanilla; and gradually add flour and continuing whisking to remove any lumps. Stir in sugar, melted butter and salt.
- Cover and refrigerator batter for a minimum of one hour or overnight. This allows the air bubbles to relax and release, as well this avoids the batter from lifting during cooking creating a soft thin tender crepe.
- Heat a non-stick crepe pan (or 10” fry pan is an option) over medium heat until hot. Lightly brush your pan with either oil or butter and pour ¼ cup of batter into pan, tilting and rotating the pan to coat the entire bottom.
- Cook until the top of crepe is dry and lightly browned on the edges, about 1 minute. Loosen the edges with a metal spatula and flip the crepe over. Cook the other side for about 15 seconds and check by lifting side of crepe and it should be lightly toasted.
- Add to warm flat dish and continue with remaining batter. Brush butter/vegetable oil to pan as needed.
Walnut Praline:
- Line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with soft butter and set aside. In a small skillet over medium heat, add and heat the sugar until it melts. Once it’s melted add the walnuts, stirring quickly to coat the walnuts, and once the syrup turns a light amber colour remove from the heat. Pour onto the baking sheet brushed with butter, and allow it to cool. Once cooled, break pieces into a blender or food processor and chop finely with some small pieces of walnut visible.
Filling:
- In a medium deep mixing bowl, add cream cheese and using a hand mixer, cream until fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar and grand marnier. Pour in heavy cream and whip until peaks form. Fold in two-thirds of diced peaches, leaving the remaining for garnishing.
- Place two crepes on each serving plate and add 2-3 tablespoons of the filling to the centre of the crepe. Fold over the crepe and garnish with some of the diced peaches, drizzle with some grand marnier and sprinkle some reserved
- Any extra whipped cream, add on top of the crepes, sprinkle with some walnut praline.
Nutrition
How to make this recipe
Crepes:
Beat eggs with a wire whisk in a large bowl until frothy, then blend in milk, and vanilla; and gradually add flour and continuing whisking to remove any lumps. Stir in sugar, melted butter and salt. Cover and refrigerator batter for a minimum of one hour or overnight. This allows the air bubbles to relax and release, as well this avoids the batter from lifting during cooking creating a soft thin tender crepe.
When you allow the crepe batter to rest, the texture of the batter becomes thicker and creamier. The photo on the left is when all of the ingredients were added and whisked and the photo on the right, the batter rested for over an hour in the refrigerator, it’s creamier, and has a thicker consistency.
Heat a non-stick crepe pan (or 10” fry pan is an option) over medium heat until hot. Lightly brush your pan with either oil or butter and pour ¼ cup of batter into pan, tilting and rotating the pan to coat the entire bottom. Cook until the top of crepe is dry and lightly browned on the edges, about 1 minute. Loosen the edges with a metal spatula and flip the crepe over. Cook the other side for about 15 seconds and check by lifting side of crepe and it should be lightly toasted.
Walnut Praline:
Line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with room temperature butter and set aside. In a small skillet over medium heat, add and heat the sugar until it melts. Once it’s melted add the walnuts, stirring quickly to coat the walnuts, and once the syrup turns a light amber colour remove immediately from the heat. Transfer onto the baking sheet brushed with butter, and allow it to cool. Once cooled, break pieces into a blender or food processor and chop finely with some small pieces of walnuts visible.
Filling:
In a medium deep mixing bowl, add cream cheese and using a hand mixer, cream until fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar and grand marnier. Pour in heavy cream and whip until peaks form. Fold in two-thirds of diced peaches, leaving the remaining for garnishing.
This decadent dessert is one to impress your family or guests. Make the crepes and the walnut praline the day before, and all you need do the day of is make the filling. A dessert that isn’t difficult to do, only requires some time, and when you can make more of it the day before, it makes your life a whole lot easier.
Garnish with the extra walnut praline, peaches, and some whipped cream and mint. Enjoy!
