Flambeed Crepes with Mascarpone and Cherries (Anne Burrell) Recipe

Directions:

1. Sauce:
2. For the filling: In a small bowl, combine the mascarpone, chocolate chips, sugar, and pinch of cinnamon. Set aside. If making more than 2 hours ahead, reserve in the refrigerator but let come to room temperature before serving.
3. For the sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the cherries, sugar, lemon zest and juice, and a splash of water. Cook until the cherries have let off their juices and the flavor has concentrated, 10 to 12 minutes. When done, the cherries should be very sweet and the juice should be syrupy. Turn off the heat and set aside.
4. To assemble: Schmear some of the mascarpone/chocolate mixture, about 1/4-inch thick, onto the lower half of a crepe. Fold the top half over the bottom to create a perfect half circle and press to secure. Fold the crepe in half again, to create a loose triangle. Repeat this process with remaining 7 crepes.
5. Heat the pan with the cherry sauce over medium heat until it just begins to bubble. Be careful not to burn the sauce. Pour the kirsch into a measuring cup with a spout and carefully pour into the cherry sauce. Turn off the heat and carefully light the sauce using a long lighter. Allow the flames to burn off.
6. To serve, arrange 2 crepe triangles on each serving plate and spoon the warm flambeed cherries over the top.
7. Sa- weeeeeet!
8. Basic Crepes:
9. In a mixing bowl, add the flour and salt and make a well in the center. Add the remaining ingredients, except the butter, into the center of the well and whisk together until just combined. The mixture should be like VERY loose pancake batter. If the mixture is a little thick, whisk in a little more milk. Let the batter sit for at least 30 minutes before using.
10. Melt about 1/2 teaspoon butter in a small nonstick saute pan. The butter should coat the bottom of the pan. If there is a lot of excess, wipe it out with a paper towel. Keep the paper towel handy in case you need it again (you will).
11. Put the pan over medium heat. Fill a 2-ounce ladle almost to the top with batter, and pour it into the preheated pan, tipping and rolling the pan as you ladle the batter to evenly cover the bottom. This will take a little practice; even when you are an experienced crepe maker the first couple always get wasted. Accept it and move on.
12. When the edges of the crepe begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and the bottom begins to brown a little, turn the crepe over and cook it for about 1 minute on the other side. Remove the crepe from the pan to a plate and let cool. Stack the crepes as they are cooked between parchment paper squares. Repeat this process, until all the batter is used, wiping the pan with your paper towel or melting a little more butter to the pan, as needed.
13. Chef's Note: Crepe batter can be made up to 2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate.
14. The Food Network Kitchens recommend that when igniting alcohol, use extreme caution. Remove the pan from the heat source before adding the alcohol. Pour the alcohol into the pan and ignite with a match or click lighter. Return the pan to the stove top and gently swirl to reduce the flames.