Crêpes with Homemade Ricotta + Maple-Strawberry Syrup | Curtis Stone

For the Homemade Ricotta: In a large, heavy pot, combine the milk, cream, buttermilk and lemon juice, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, for about 25 minutes or until the mixture has reached 160°F. The mixture will begin to separate into milky cheese curds and a watery whey, which is the result you want.

Line a strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Pour the milk mixture into the sieve and refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until most of the liquid has drained from the cheese. The texture of the cheese will depend on the draining time; for a firmer texture, drain the cheese for as long as overnight.

Remove the ricotta from the cheesecloth, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate until ready to use.  Makes about 2 cups. The ricotta will keep for up to 5 days stored airtight in the refrigerator.

To make the crêpes, in a blender, combine the flour, milk, cream, eggs, sugar and salt, and blend until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 


Heat a crêpe pan or heavy 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Dab some butter on a paper towel and wipe the pan with the butter. Pour 3 tablespoons of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to coat the bottom evenly. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes, or until the edges of the crêpe are light brown. Using a silicone spatula, gently loosen the edges and carefully turn the crêpe over. Continue cooking for about 1 minute, or until the bottom begins to brown in spots. Transfer the crêpe to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, wiping the pan with butter as needed, until you have 12 crêpes.

Make-Ahead: The crêpes can be made up to 1 day ahead, covered, and refrigerated.

To serve, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 


For the syrup, in a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup and cardamom, bring to a simmer over medium heat, and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the strawberries, and let steep for 10 minutes. Discard the cardamom before serving.

In a large bowl, whisk the ricotta, eggs, sugar, and salt to blend. Working with one crêpe at a time, spoon about ¼ cup of the ricotta filling over half of each crêpe, leaving a border around the edge, and fold it in half and then in half again, forming a triangle. Arrange the crêpes on the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes, or until they are puffed and the filling is hot.

Place 2 crêpes on each of six plates. Spoon the warm maple-strawberry syrup over, spoon a dollop of sour cream on top of each crêpe, and serve.