Blintzes

Photo: supplied

Ingredients

For the batter:

• 220g strong high-grade flour **cups
• 1 Tbs caster sugar **grams
• 1 tsp flaky salt, or ½ tsp table salt
• Finely grated zest of half a lemon
• 2 large eggs
• 50g butter, melted, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 375ml (1 ½ cups) whole milk

 
For the filling and to serve:

• 1 cup pastry cream
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 3 oranges
• 1-2 Tbsp caster sugar, to taste

Pastry cream

• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 vanilla bean split and scraped
• 1/2 cup cornflour
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 50 g butter
• Additional 30g melted butter, melted, for cooking the crepes and the filled blintzes

 
Method

• Make pastry cream
• Mix cornflour and sugar with one egg and maker into a paste then add the other 2 eggs
• Heat milk with vanilla and let steep
• Add vanilla milk to egg mixture and cook while mixing with whisk constantly
• When it gets thick reduce heat and keep cooking for 3 minutes
• Keep mixing and incorporate butter
• Brush melted butter on top to prevent a skin forming

Make the crepes:

Blend all the ingredients to a smooth batter in a food processor (you could also use a blender). If mixing by hand, stir the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl first. Whisk the eggs, butter, and half the milk together in a small bowl, then whisk this mixture into the dry ingredients to form a smooth paste. Slowly add the remaining milk while whisking, to thin the mixture without creating lumps.
 
Heat a medium 20cm crepe pan, skillet, or another flat pan on medium-high heat, then brush with melted butter. Pour in half a cup of batter and tilt and swirl to cover the whole pan with a thin even layer. Cook until pale golden underneath, then flip onto a plate (the reverse side will be cooked later on). Repeat with the remaining batter, adding melted butter to the pan as necessary. Stack the crepes with a layer of plastic wrap or baking paper in between each to prevent them from sticking.
 
Prepare the filling and fruit to serve:

Finely zest one of the oranges and mix the zest with the pastry cream and ricotta in a food processor or bowl until combined and smooth. Taste the mixture; the pastry cream is already sweetened, but you can add a spoon or two of sugar to sweeten the filling to your liking. Juice the zested orange into a small saucepan and simmer over a medium heat until reduced to half. Remove from the heat and set aside. Cut the segments from the remaining two oranges and set aside.
 
Fill and fry the blintzes:

Place one crepe onto a plate, cooked side up. Spoon one scant quarter cup of filling into the centre. Fold the bottom third of the crepe up over the filling, then fold the sides in to cover the filled area. Finally fold the top edge down onto the same area, creating a closed parcel. Repeat with the remaining crepes and filling.
 
Heat a flat-bottomed pan (either the same one you used to make the crepes or a larger one) on medium heat. Brush with melted butter, and fry the blintzes on both sides until golden brown.
 
Serve immediately with the orange syrup drizzled on top and the orange segments on the side.