As the semester comes to a close, college students have a long break to look forward to. While class is out and you’re no longer limited to dining hall food, it’s time to get creative with the best produce of the year. And nothing screams summer quite like fresh strawberries.
Fall and winter are all about heavy desserts to compensate for the cold, dark nights. Summer means long nights, warm weather, lighter desserts, and taking advantage of fresh fruit in peak season. A crêpe cake with strawberry whipped cream is the perfect summer treat, and it’s easier than you think.
Homemade Crpes
Ingredients
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs.
Whisk in whole milk, water, and vanilla extract.
Whisk in melted butter, stirring constantly so the eggs don’t scramble from the warm butter.
Whisk in salt and flour until the batter is smooth and thin.
Heat a large skillet on medium heat.
Spray the pan with cooking spray or rub butter on it, and spoon 1/4 batter in the center of the pan. Quickly swirl the batter into a larger circle.
Once the batter begins to bubble across the crêpe, about 30 seconds, use a large spatula to flip the crêpe over. Cook for an additional 10-15 seconds and then remove from pan.
Strawberry Whipped Cream
Ingredients
Instructions
Cut the strawberries into quarters until it fills up 1 cup.
Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of sugar over the strawberries.
Microwave the strawberries for 1 minute.
Using a food processor, blend the strawberries until it becomes a liquid. Refrigerate for at least a half hour. This is a great time to make the crêpes.
Using a blender, blend the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until it forms a whipped cream.
Fold in the strawberry mixture.
To assemble the crêpe cake with strawberry whipped cream, layer crepes with thin layers of the whipped cream. Top with more whipped cream and fresh strawberries.
The trick to making good crêpes is speed. Once you pour the batter into the pan, quickly swirl the batter into a larger circle. Watch out for bubbles, and use a large spatula to flip to avoid folding over the edges of the crêpe.
It’s easy to customize both the crêpe cake and the flavored whipped cream. Most fruits would work, like blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries. In my opinion, though, there is no better combination than a crêpe cake with strawberry whipped cream.