Hungarian Creamy Cottage Cheese and Cinnamon Crepes – Magyar Palacsinta

A popular Hungarian-style crepe filled with a rich whipped cottage cheese and spiced with cinnamon, then topped with berries, candied pecans and sprinkled with powdered sugar. A lovely dessert or brunch treat! 

This sweet crepe was a tradition in our family for generations. Often Mom would make this crepe recipe during the winter months. It is a comforting and so delicious to be enjoyed as a breakfast, brunch or even a lunch. Although, it is known as a sweet crepe, it wasn’t served as a dessert in our family.

I decided to whip the cottage cheese for this recipe for more of a creamy and smoother texture and a splash of Grand Marnier.  Mom would serve this breakfast version crepe by simply adding a 4% fat content cottage cheese, cinnamon, a little bit of sugar and raisins for the filling. It would be served with fresh fruit, bacon or ham.

Crepes: when making crepes, it is important to be patient. By mixing the ingredients, it requires to slowly add the flour mixture to the milk mixture, and whisk to avoid any lumps. It is suggested to sift the flour, and to help reduce the lumps.

The trick to get thin crepes is the quickly tilt and rotate when pouring the batter into the hot fry pan or skillet. If you are fortunate enough to have a crepe pan, then it should be fairly easy for you.

Cottage Cheese Filling: a 4% fat content for this filling. Traditionally, it was flavoured with cinnamon and sometimes Mom would add raisins, which us kids would often tell her not to. Option is to whip the cottage cheese for a smooth, thick and creamy texture.

INGREDIENTS

Eggs: depending on the size, I added 2 large eggs

Milk: I used 2-3% milk and organic; I think crepes deserve the best ingredients

Vanilla: adds a lovely flavour

Butter: is melted to add some richness and luxurious texture

Cinnamon: a delicious combination with apples

Toppings: I added walnuts, maple syrups and some icing sugar

Cottage Cheese filling: 4% cottage cheese adds a rich and thicker consistency and cinnamon; drizzle with maple syrup and add assorted berries and icing sugar; sometimes Mom would add raisins with the cottage cheese and us kids would plead with her not to, for some strange reason we didn’t like it.

There are so many options to fill crepes with and whether you make savory or sweet. For dessert options, we often think of fruit with a cream such as whipping cream, cream cheese, a soft cheese, such as goat cheese or ricotta cheese.

Try my recipes:

• Hungarian Crepes with Peaches and Walnut Praline
• Sweet Hungarian Crepes with Caramelized Apples 

Hungarian Cottage Cheese with Cinnamon Crepes - Magyar Palacsinta

5 from 1 vote

To fill a crepe with cottage cheese and cinnamon has been commonly known in Hungary as a sweet crepe dessert.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Refrigerate: 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Servings: 16 crepes

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: Hungarian

Calories: 121

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition

Ingredients

  

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Crepe Recipe:

• 2 large free-range eggs
• 1 1/2 cups organic milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter
• 1 cup unbleached organic all-purpose flour, sifted
• 2 tbsp raw fine sugar
• dash of salt
• 2-3 tsp extra virgin olive oil, unsalted butter or organic vegetable oil (to coat the crepe pan)

Cottage Cheese Crepes:

• 2 cups 4% cottage cheese
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp maple syrup or sugar
• 1 tbsp Grand Marnier/bourbon (optional)
• assortment of fresh berries
• 1/2 cup candied pecans
• powdered sugar

Equipment

• Large skillet or crepe pan

Method

 

Crepes:

1. Beat eggs with a wire whisk in a large bowl until frothy, Stir in milk, vanilla and melted butter.
2. In a medium bowl, sift flour, then add sugar and salt. Gradually add to the milk mixture and continue whisking to remove lumps.
3. Cover and refrigerator batter for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour or overnight. This allows the air bubbles to relax and the dough to thicken as well this avoids the batter from lifting during cooking creating a soft thin tender crepe.
4. Heat a non-stick crepe pan (or 10” fry pan is an option) over medium heat until hot. Lightly brush your pan with oil and pour ¼ cup of batter into pan, tilting and rotating the pan to coat the entire bottom.
5. 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 for about 15 seconds and check by lifting side of crepe and it should be lightly toasted. Transfer to a plate. Continue with remaining batter and add oil to pan as needed.

Cottage Cheese Filling:

1. Preheat oven to 250°F.
2. Using a food processor, blender or wire whisk, blend cottage cheese, cinnamon and sugar. Pulse a few times if using a food processor or blender, long enough to create some smoothness. If using a wire whisk, whip to create a smooth texture. You want some texture to hold up in the crepe. Add about 3 tablespoons per crepe. Fold or roll each crepe and place the crepes in a baking dish, covered and place in the oven for about 20 minutes long enough to warm the cottage cheese filling.
3. Plate the crepes and add berries, maple syrup and a dust of powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 121kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 5gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 140mgPotassium: 76mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 133IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 1mg

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How to make these delicious crepes:

Beat eggs with a wire whisk in a large bowl until frothy, Stir in milk, vanilla and melted butter. In a medium bowl, sift flour, then add sugar and salt. Gradually add to the milk mixture and continue whisking to remove lumps.

Cover and refrigerator batter for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour or overnight. This allows the air bubbles to relax and the dough to thicken 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 oil 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 for about 15 seconds and check by lifting side of crepe and it should be lightly toasted. Transfer to a plate. Continue to brush oil to pan as needed.

Serve these delicious, warm crepes/palacsinta with fresh berries, candied pecans and a dusting of powdered sugar. Drizzle with maple syrup and enjoy!!

These I made a few months ago, and this traditional way I grew up with crepes/palacsinta were served without cottage cheese, sugar and cinnamon with fresh berries, powdered sugar and drizzle of maple syrup.