Cherry Supreme Crepes

Every week my husband and I celebrate "Pancake Sunday". As you can imagine, we do so by making pancakes every Sunday. Although it sounds a little silly, it is actually a continuation of a tradition followed by my husband's grandparents as he grew up. After working hard all week, Sunday was the morning when they would slow down and have some time together. Likewise, this is a tradition that we decided to include in our own household, and it has come to be a small something special that we look forward to.

This particular Pancake Sunday idea came from a friend of mine. Crepes, or "french pancakes", have been a family favorite of my own since I was younger. I first tried a real crepe during a wine festival in Germany as a teen. It was an incredible process - the delicate cake must be spread as thin as possible, flipped (without tearing...) to cook both sides, and have the heat set just so. Needless to say, it took me a few tries to get right. The cherry sauce was of particular interest to my friend. If cherries aren't your thing, you could easily make the sauce recipe below with your favorite fruit, or just cover the crepes with maple syrup or Nutella. It all depends on your tastes.

Cherry "Supreme" Crepes
Yields: 9 crepes
Ingredients:
Crepes:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
oil, butter, or cooking spray

Sauce:
2 cups pitted fresh cherries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Directions:
To make the crepes, sift the flour once, and then sift again with the salt, baking powder, and powdered sugar. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, milk, water, and vanilla. Make a well in the sifted ingredients, and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix together with a few swift strokes, but leave somewhat lumpy. Heat a small, non-stick skillet (I used a small, well seasoned cast iron) and grease with a few drops of oil or some cooking spray. Add about 1/3 cup of batter to the skillet, and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. cook over moderate heat until bubbles start to form in the crepe. Flip gingerly, and allow both sides to cook to a golden brown color. Be sure to reapply the oil/butter/cooking spray after each crepe for it to cook properly.

To make the sauce, heat the pitted cherries and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cherries release some of their juices. This juice will simmer and thicken slightly. Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl, and pour it into the mixture. Allow the sauce to boil, and then remove from heat. Keep the mixture warm. It will continue to thicken as it cools.

To prepare the crepes, add the cherry mixture in a line in the bottom half of the crepe, and then roll. Sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar and serve.