Ultimate Fresh Strawberry Crepe

Crepes:

• 1/2 c all purpose flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 c milk
• 1 T butter, melted
• 1 T sugar
• 1/2 T butter, for cooking

Sauce, Etc

• 1 16 oz. basket of fresh strawberries
• 3 T sugar
• 8 oz goat cheese (if you don't have access to goat cheese, cream cheese will also work beautifully)

(Note: this recipe is a little time consuming, so it's best to prep the strawberries & goat cheese the night before if you're able to.)

Directions:

Begin by thoroughly rinsing the strawberries and slicing them into 1/4" - 1/2" slices. Place the sliced strawberries in a large bowl, add the sugar, and toss to coat completely. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator for at least an hour; this will allow the strawberries to release their natural juices and create their own "syrup". When the sugar has completely dissolved and your strawberries have made their syrup, set aside about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of the sliced berries w/syrup in a separate bowl. Using a hand blender, purée the remaining strawberries until almost smooth.

In a separate bowl, combine the goat cheese (or cream cheese) and about 1/3 cup of strawberry purée until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour or so, until the mixture is slightly set (it will be slightly softer than no-bake cheesecake consistency). In the meantime, combine about 3/4 cup of the reserved sliced strawberries with 3/4 cup of the strawberry purée and mix together. This will be your "sauce", or the topping for the final dish. Set aside. When the strawberry prep has been completed, combine the crepe ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together until smooth. Follow the cooking instructions for the basic crepe recipe here.

To make the crepes:

Combine the crepe ingredients into a bowl and mix together well with a wire whisk. The consistency of the batter will be runny at first and it should be - we are making crepes, not pancakes! However, it will thicken slowly (if it becomes too thick while you are cooking the crepes, add a splash or two of extra milk to thin it out). In a medium skillet, heat the 1/2 T butter and coat the entire pan with it. Using either a measuring cup or ladle with a spout, slowly pour some of the batter into the skillet until it covers the entire bottom. If you pour too fast, you'll end up with a ton of splattered batter (hey, that rhymed) and very uneven-looking crepes. Cook over medium low heat until the edges become slightly dry, about 45 seconds. With a spatula, check to make sure the crepe is starting to turn a golden brown on the bottom. If so, it's ready to flip onto the other side. Cook for about another 30 seconds or until the bottom side is golden brown. Transfer onto a plate and cover, so that the crepes stay moist and warm. Repeat the process until all the batter has been used.

To assemble your crepes, add about 1 tablespoon of the strawberry-goat cheese mixture to one of the freshly made crepes and spread around in a thin layer (you can add more if you like). Add 1/4 - 1/3 cup of the remaining sliced strawberries and roll the crepe together. Top with the strawberry sauce, sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired, garnish with extra fresh strawberries, and enjoy!