Excerpt from Artisan Cheese Making at Home by Mary Karlin
Content
BASIC CHÈVRE MAKES 1 pound Pasteurized goat’s milk START TO FINISH 18 to 24 hours: 30 minutes to make the cheese; 12 hours to ripen; 6 to 12 hours to drain MILK
Chèvre is the common name for spreadable goat cheese. This fresh cheese is easy to make and, in its log shape, it is the most recognizable goat cheese in the United States. It often has dried herbs or other flavorful additives blended into the cheese or used to coat the log. This version uses a premixed blend of culture and rennet from New England Cheesemaking Supply designed specifically for making chèvre. This is the simplest method, perfect for any novice cheese maker.
1 gallon pasteurized goat’s milk teaspoon C20G powdered mesophilic starter
1 /2
teaspoon fine sea salt
culture
Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
1.
In a nonreactive, heavy 6-quart stockpot, heat the milk over low heat to 86°F. This should take 18 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat.
2.
When the milk is at temperature, sprinkle the starter over the milk and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. Whisk the starter into the milk to incorporate, using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Cover and, maintaining the temperature between 72°F and 78°F, allow the milk to ripen for 12 hours. (Refer to page 17 for tips on maintaining milk or curds at a steady temperature over a period of time.)
3.
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The curds are ready when they have formed one large mass in the pot with the consistency of thick yogurt, surrounded by clear whey. Place a nonreactive strainer over a nonreactive bowl or bucket large enough to capture the whey. Line it with a single layer of clean, damp butter muslin and gently ladle the curds into it. Let drain for 5 minutes, then gently toss the curds with the salt. At this point you can cover the curds with the tails of the muslin and leave to drain over the bowl, or you can spoon the curds into 2 chèvre molds set on a draining rack set over a tray. Let drain at room temperature for 6 hours for creamy cheese, or 12 hours if you wish to shape the cheese. If you are using the molds, flip the cheeses once during the draining process.
4.
1 /2
Remove the cheese from the cheesecloth or molds and place in a covered container. Use right away, or store refrigerated for up to 1 week.
5.
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CRÈME FRAÎCHE COTTAGE CHEESE MAKES 1½ pounds Pasteurized whole, reduced fat (2 percent), or low-fat (1 percent) cow’s milk, cultured crème fraîche ALTERNATIVE MILKS Raw cow’s milk; pasteurized or raw goat’s milk START TO FINISH 7 to 8 hours: 1½ hours to make the cheese; 5 to 6 hours to ripen; 15 minutes to drain
MILKS
Cottage cheese has been produced in Europe for many years using a range of milks. Traditionally, this fresh cheese is made by natural lactic acid coagulation rather than with rennet. Because this recipe is made with pasteurized milk, small amounts of mesophilic culture and rennet are used to enhance bacterial development and aid coagulation. Many of us know cottage cheese as the mass-produced variety, which has little flavor. This rich cottage cheese is anything but flavorless, made with whole cow’s milk with cultured crème fraîche folded in after the curds are set. Commercial crème fraîche can be used successfully if it’s a high-quality artisan brand such as Bellwether or Kendall Farms. You can use low-fat milk instead of whole milk or fold in Greek yogurt rather than crème fraîche. Play with combinations that satisfy your palate and desired fat intake.
1 gallon pasteurized whole cow’s milk 3/8
teaspoon Aroma B powdered mesophilic starter
1/4
teaspoon calcium chloride diluted in 1/4 cup cool
1/4
teaspoon liquid rennet diluted in 1/4 cup cool
culture nonchlorinated water (omit if using raw milk) nonchlorinated water 1 teaspoon kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand) or cheese salt 1 to 1 1/2 cups crème fraîche, homemade (page 44) or store-bought
Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
1.
Assemble a water bath using a 6-quart stockpot set inside a larger pot. Pour water into the larger pot to come two-thirds of the way up the side of the smaller pot. Remove the smaller pot and place the pot of water over low heat. When the water reaches 80°F, put the smaller pot back in the water to warm slightly, then pour the milk into the smaller pot. Cover the pot and slowly warm the milk to
2.
70°F over the course of about 15 minutes, lowering the heat, adding cool water to the water bath, or removing from the heat if the temperature is rising too quickly. When the milk is at temperature, sprinkle the starter over the milk and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. Whisk the starter into the milk to incorporate, using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Add the diluted calcium chloride and incorporate in the same way, and then the diluted rennet. Cover, remove from the water bath, and let sit at room temperature for 5 to 6 hours. The milk protein will coagulate into solid curds, and the liquid whey will be almost clear and light green in color.
3.
Check the curds for a clean break (see page 18), using a sanitized long-blade curd cutting knife or 10-inch cake decorating spatula. If the cut edge is clean and there’s some accumulation of light-colored whey in the cut area, the curds are ready. If the cut edge is soft and the curds are mushy, the curds are not ready; allow them to sit longer before testing again. When ready, cut the curds into ¾-inch pieces (see page 18) and gently stir using a rubber spatula for 5 minutes to firm up the curds slightly.
4.
(continued)
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SPINACH SALAD WITH CHARRED RICOTTA SALATA AND CARAMELIZED ORANGES Serves 6 Salt, sweetness, smoke, and a hint of bitterness all come together here to create a sensational salad. Caramelized oranges are absolutely perfect with the grilled ricotta salata, and together they brighten the slightly tannic spinach and earthy olives.
10 ounces ricotta salata, drained (page 67) 10 tablespoons olive oil 3 large oranges 1 /2
cup sugar
4 cups packed spinach leaves, stems removed, patted dry 1 /2
teaspoon sea salt
6 cloves garlic, blanched and slivered Pinch of red pepper flakes 1 /2
cup green olives, pitted and slivered lengthwise
1/4
cup oil-cured olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
Dried mint for garnish 1/4
cup shelled salted pistachios, coarsely chopped, for garnish (optional)
Cut the ricotta salata into ¾-inch cubes, toss in a bowl with 5 tablespoons of the olive oil, and set aside. Cut the ends off 2 of the oranges. Remove the peels and pith with a knife by following the curvature of the orange, carving below the pith to reveal the flesh. Trim off any remaining pith. Cut each orange into 4 or 5 horizontal slices. Spread on a baking sheet and sprinkle the tops with ¼ cup of the sugar. Set aside. Zest the remaining orange and mince the zest, then set both the zest and the orange aside. Heat a cast-iron griddle pan over high heat. Place the cubes of ricotta salata on the hot griddle and cook for 5 to 10 seconds, just long enough to char. Turn over on the opposite side and repeat until charred on the second side. Remove the cheese from the pan immediately and place on a baking sheet to cool.
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Heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and spread the remaining ¼ cup of sugar over the bottom of the pan. When the sugar begins to melt, place the orange slices sugar side down into the melting sugar. Do not move the oranges for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the syrup to set, but if the sugar is caramelizing before the oranges are slightly softened and lightly caramelized, lower the heat. Return the oranges, caramelized side up, to the baking sheet to cool. Pour the cooked sugar syrup from the pan into a bowl. Squeeze the juice from the zested orange into the skillet and stir to deglaze. Add the orange juice to the sugar syrup, then stir in the zest and any sweet juices that the cooling orange slices have exuded. Slowly whisk in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil to make a vinaigrette. Just before serving, using the same skillet used for the oranges, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat until heated through. Add the spinach, salt, garlic, and red pepper flakes, then quickly stir to slightly wilt the spinach. Do not overcook, and promptly drain off any liquid. Working quickly, divide the hot spinach among 6 individual serving plates. Top each serving with caramelized orange slices, dividing them evenly among the salads. Top each salad with a few pieces of charred ricotta salata, drizzle with the vinaigrette, and sprinkle the olives, dried mint, and chopped pistachios, if using, over the oranges. Serve right away.
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BLUE CHEESE, BACON, AND PEAR GALETTE Makes one 10-inch tart This savory galette combines salty-sweet bacon with maple-coated pears and an earthy blue cheese, all cozily housed in a golden, nutty almond crust. An herbaceous rosemary glaze is the crowning touch to a real crowd-pleaser.
DOUGH
2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4
cup almond flour or almond meal
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 1 /2
teaspoon kosher salt
1 /2
cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
About 3/4 cup ice water FILLING
2 tablespoons olive oil 4 ounces bacon, cut crosswise into narrow strips 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced into wedges
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
3 large shallots, thinly sliced into wedges 1/4
cup maple syrup
1 /2
teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 /2
teaspoon ground cardamom
2 large pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 12 wedges each 3 ounces mild blue cheese or Coastal Blue (page 184), cut into 8 thin wedges GLAZE
Reserved maple syrup mixture 1/4
cup sugar
1/4
cup water
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary leaves
To make the dough, combine the all-purpose flour, almond flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the pieces are the size of a pea and still visible. Slowly add 6 tablespoons of the ice water and stir to incorporate, adding more water as needed until the dough comes together and forms a ball. You may not need the full amount of water. Do not overwork the dough. Once the dough holds together, form it into a 6-inch disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
To make the fi lling, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil, then add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until the bacon is crispy and the fat is rendered, about 7 minutes. Set aside on paper towels to drain. Remove half of the fat from the pan, add the onion and shallots, and sauté until lightly caramelized, about 7 minutes. In a bowl, combine the maple syrup, vanilla, and cardamom. Toss the pear wedges in the syrup mixture to coat, then leave them to soak in the mixture. Working on a sheet of parchment paper, roll out the dough into a rough 14-inch circle. Lift the parchment with the dough onto a baking sheet. Leaving a 2-inch border, evenly distribute the bacon-onion mixture over the the dough. Place the pear wedges in a decorative pattern over the bacon-onion mixture, overlapping if needed. Fill in the center with small pieces of pear. Reserve the maple syrup mixture to use in the glaze. (continued)
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RICOTTA-FILLED CHOCOLATE CREPES WITH NUTELLA AND SOUR CHERRY PRESERVES Makes 12 dessert crepes Though you’re used to seeing ricotta in lasagna, this recipe showcases the versatility of this creamy cheese. Here it fills chocolate crepes that have been spread with the decadent hazelnut-cocoa spread Nutella and topped with sour cherry preserves and chopped hazelnuts. The crepes can be made a day ahead. Stack them with plastic wrap between them and refrigerate in a resealable plastic bag. They will keep refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for about 1 month. Warm them before using.
CREPES
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 /2
cup unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar 1/4
teaspoon kosher salt
21/4 cups whole milk 2 large eggs 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1 /2
teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FILLING AND TOPPING
2 cups fresh ricotta (page 39), drained for 1 hour 1 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar 1 1⁄2 cups Nutella hazelnut-cocoa spread 1 1⁄2 cups sour cherry or red raspberry preserves,
Preheat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brush the bottom with melted butter. Ladle enough batter (about ¼ to ⅓ cup) into the pan to just cover the bottom. Immediately lift the pan off the heat and swirl the batter around to cover the bottom of the pan as though you were making an omelette. Cook for about 1 minute, until the edges start to look dry but not crispy and a few steam holes appear in the center. This tells you that there’s enough structure to the crepe to be able to flip it over. Using an offset spatula, turn the crepe over and cook for about 30 seconds. Slide the crepe from the pan onto a plate. Continue the process, brushing the pan with melted butter each time and stacking the crepes until all the batter is used.
warmed 3/4
cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
To make the crepes, in a medium bowl sift together the flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl or in a blender, whisk together 2 cups of the milk, the eggs, 2 tablespoons of the butter, and the vanilla. Add one-third of the dry ingredients to the blended liquid and blend until smooth. Repeat twice to blend in the rest of the dry ingredients. Cover and refrigerate the batter for 30 minutes or overnight. When ready to use, whisk the batter thoroughly and add up to ¼ cup more milk if the batter is thicker than runny pancake batter.
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To make the fi lling, put the ricotta and sugar in a bowl and stir until well combined. Spread half of each open crepe with 2 tablespoons of Nutella. Crumble or spread the ricotta over the Nutella. Fold the plain half over the fi lled half and then fold again into a wedge. Place on a serving plate, top each with 2 tablespoons of preserves and 1 tablespoon of chopped hazelnuts, and serve.
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Chèvre is the common name for spreadable goat cheese. This fresh cheese is easy to make and, in its log shape, it is the most recognizable goat cheese in the United States. It often has dried herbs or other flavorful additives blended into the cheese or used to coat the log. This version uses a premixed blend of culture and rennet from New England Cheesemaking Supply designed specifically for making chèvre. This is the simplest method, perfect for any novice cheese maker.
1 gallon pasteurized goat’s milk teaspoon C20G powdered mesophilic starter
1 /2
teaspoon fine sea salt
culture
Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
1.
In a nonreactive, heavy 6-quart stockpot, heat the milk over low heat to 86°F. This should take 18 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat.
2.
When the milk is at temperature, sprinkle the starter over the milk and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. Whisk the starter into the milk to incorporate, using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Cover and, maintaining the temperature between 72°F and 78°F, allow the milk to ripen for 12 hours. (Refer to page 17 for tips on maintaining milk or curds at a steady temperature over a period of time.)
3.
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The curds are ready when they have formed one large mass in the pot with the consistency of thick yogurt, surrounded by clear whey. Place a nonreactive strainer over a nonreactive bowl or bucket large enough to capture the whey. Line it with a single layer of clean, damp butter muslin and gently ladle the curds into it. Let drain for 5 minutes, then gently toss the curds with the salt. At this point you can cover the curds with the tails of the muslin and leave to drain over the bowl, or you can spoon the curds into 2 chèvre molds set on a draining rack set over a tray. Let drain at room temperature for 6 hours for creamy cheese, or 12 hours if you wish to shape the cheese. If you are using the molds, flip the cheeses once during the draining process.
4.
1 /2
Remove the cheese from the cheesecloth or molds and place in a covered container. Use right away, or store refrigerated for up to 1 week.
5.
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CRÈME FRAÎCHE COTTAGE CHEESE MAKES 1½ pounds Pasteurized whole, reduced fat (2 percent), or low-fat (1 percent) cow’s milk, cultured crème fraîche ALTERNATIVE MILKS Raw cow’s milk; pasteurized or raw goat’s milk START TO FINISH 7 to 8 hours: 1½ hours to make the cheese; 5 to 6 hours to ripen; 15 minutes to drain
MILKS
Cottage cheese has been produced in Europe for many years using a range of milks. Traditionally, this fresh cheese is made by natural lactic acid coagulation rather than with rennet. Because this recipe is made with pasteurized milk, small amounts of mesophilic culture and rennet are used to enhance bacterial development and aid coagulation. Many of us know cottage cheese as the mass-produced variety, which has little flavor. This rich cottage cheese is anything but flavorless, made with whole cow’s milk with cultured crème fraîche folded in after the curds are set. Commercial crème fraîche can be used successfully if it’s a high-quality artisan brand such as Bellwether or Kendall Farms. You can use low-fat milk instead of whole milk or fold in Greek yogurt rather than crème fraîche. Play with combinations that satisfy your palate and desired fat intake.
1 gallon pasteurized whole cow’s milk 3/8
teaspoon Aroma B powdered mesophilic starter
1/4
teaspoon calcium chloride diluted in 1/4 cup cool
1/4
teaspoon liquid rennet diluted in 1/4 cup cool
culture nonchlorinated water (omit if using raw milk) nonchlorinated water 1 teaspoon kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal brand) or cheese salt 1 to 1 1/2 cups crème fraîche, homemade (page 44) or store-bought
Read through the recipe and review any terms and techniques you aren’t familiar with (see chapter 1). Assemble your equipment, supplies, and ingredients, including a dairy or kitchen thermometer; clean and sterilize your equipment as needed and lay it out on clean kitchen towels.
1.
Assemble a water bath using a 6-quart stockpot set inside a larger pot. Pour water into the larger pot to come two-thirds of the way up the side of the smaller pot. Remove the smaller pot and place the pot of water over low heat. When the water reaches 80°F, put the smaller pot back in the water to warm slightly, then pour the milk into the smaller pot. Cover the pot and slowly warm the milk to
2.
70°F over the course of about 15 minutes, lowering the heat, adding cool water to the water bath, or removing from the heat if the temperature is rising too quickly. When the milk is at temperature, sprinkle the starter over the milk and let it rehydrate for 5 minutes. Whisk the starter into the milk to incorporate, using an up-and-down motion for 20 strokes. Add the diluted calcium chloride and incorporate in the same way, and then the diluted rennet. Cover, remove from the water bath, and let sit at room temperature for 5 to 6 hours. The milk protein will coagulate into solid curds, and the liquid whey will be almost clear and light green in color.
3.
Check the curds for a clean break (see page 18), using a sanitized long-blade curd cutting knife or 10-inch cake decorating spatula. If the cut edge is clean and there’s some accumulation of light-colored whey in the cut area, the curds are ready. If the cut edge is soft and the curds are mushy, the curds are not ready; allow them to sit longer before testing again. When ready, cut the curds into ¾-inch pieces (see page 18) and gently stir using a rubber spatula for 5 minutes to firm up the curds slightly.
4.
(continued)
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SPINACH SALAD WITH CHARRED RICOTTA SALATA AND CARAMELIZED ORANGES Serves 6 Salt, sweetness, smoke, and a hint of bitterness all come together here to create a sensational salad. Caramelized oranges are absolutely perfect with the grilled ricotta salata, and together they brighten the slightly tannic spinach and earthy olives.
10 ounces ricotta salata, drained (page 67) 10 tablespoons olive oil 3 large oranges 1 /2
cup sugar
4 cups packed spinach leaves, stems removed, patted dry 1 /2
teaspoon sea salt
6 cloves garlic, blanched and slivered Pinch of red pepper flakes 1 /2
cup green olives, pitted and slivered lengthwise
1/4
cup oil-cured olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
Dried mint for garnish 1/4
cup shelled salted pistachios, coarsely chopped, for garnish (optional)
Cut the ricotta salata into ¾-inch cubes, toss in a bowl with 5 tablespoons of the olive oil, and set aside. Cut the ends off 2 of the oranges. Remove the peels and pith with a knife by following the curvature of the orange, carving below the pith to reveal the flesh. Trim off any remaining pith. Cut each orange into 4 or 5 horizontal slices. Spread on a baking sheet and sprinkle the tops with ¼ cup of the sugar. Set aside. Zest the remaining orange and mince the zest, then set both the zest and the orange aside. Heat a cast-iron griddle pan over high heat. Place the cubes of ricotta salata on the hot griddle and cook for 5 to 10 seconds, just long enough to char. Turn over on the opposite side and repeat until charred on the second side. Remove the cheese from the pan immediately and place on a baking sheet to cool.
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Heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and spread the remaining ¼ cup of sugar over the bottom of the pan. When the sugar begins to melt, place the orange slices sugar side down into the melting sugar. Do not move the oranges for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the syrup to set, but if the sugar is caramelizing before the oranges are slightly softened and lightly caramelized, lower the heat. Return the oranges, caramelized side up, to the baking sheet to cool. Pour the cooked sugar syrup from the pan into a bowl. Squeeze the juice from the zested orange into the skillet and stir to deglaze. Add the orange juice to the sugar syrup, then stir in the zest and any sweet juices that the cooling orange slices have exuded. Slowly whisk in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil to make a vinaigrette. Just before serving, using the same skillet used for the oranges, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat until heated through. Add the spinach, salt, garlic, and red pepper flakes, then quickly stir to slightly wilt the spinach. Do not overcook, and promptly drain off any liquid. Working quickly, divide the hot spinach among 6 individual serving plates. Top each serving with caramelized orange slices, dividing them evenly among the salads. Top each salad with a few pieces of charred ricotta salata, drizzle with the vinaigrette, and sprinkle the olives, dried mint, and chopped pistachios, if using, over the oranges. Serve right away.
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BLUE CHEESE, BACON, AND PEAR GALETTE Makes one 10-inch tart This savory galette combines salty-sweet bacon with maple-coated pears and an earthy blue cheese, all cozily housed in a golden, nutty almond crust. An herbaceous rosemary glaze is the crowning touch to a real crowd-pleaser.
DOUGH
2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4
cup almond flour or almond meal
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 1 /2
teaspoon kosher salt
1 /2
cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
About 3/4 cup ice water FILLING
2 tablespoons olive oil 4 ounces bacon, cut crosswise into narrow strips 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced into wedges
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
3 large shallots, thinly sliced into wedges 1/4
cup maple syrup
1 /2
teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 /2
teaspoon ground cardamom
2 large pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 12 wedges each 3 ounces mild blue cheese or Coastal Blue (page 184), cut into 8 thin wedges GLAZE
Reserved maple syrup mixture 1/4
cup sugar
1/4
cup water
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary leaves
To make the dough, combine the all-purpose flour, almond flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the pieces are the size of a pea and still visible. Slowly add 6 tablespoons of the ice water and stir to incorporate, adding more water as needed until the dough comes together and forms a ball. You may not need the full amount of water. Do not overwork the dough. Once the dough holds together, form it into a 6-inch disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
To make the fi lling, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil, then add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until the bacon is crispy and the fat is rendered, about 7 minutes. Set aside on paper towels to drain. Remove half of the fat from the pan, add the onion and shallots, and sauté until lightly caramelized, about 7 minutes. In a bowl, combine the maple syrup, vanilla, and cardamom. Toss the pear wedges in the syrup mixture to coat, then leave them to soak in the mixture. Working on a sheet of parchment paper, roll out the dough into a rough 14-inch circle. Lift the parchment with the dough onto a baking sheet. Leaving a 2-inch border, evenly distribute the bacon-onion mixture over the the dough. Place the pear wedges in a decorative pattern over the bacon-onion mixture, overlapping if needed. Fill in the center with small pieces of pear. Reserve the maple syrup mixture to use in the glaze. (continued)
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RICOTTA-FILLED CHOCOLATE CREPES WITH NUTELLA AND SOUR CHERRY PRESERVES Makes 12 dessert crepes Though you’re used to seeing ricotta in lasagna, this recipe showcases the versatility of this creamy cheese. Here it fills chocolate crepes that have been spread with the decadent hazelnut-cocoa spread Nutella and topped with sour cherry preserves and chopped hazelnuts. The crepes can be made a day ahead. Stack them with plastic wrap between them and refrigerate in a resealable plastic bag. They will keep refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for about 1 month. Warm them before using.
CREPES
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 /2
cup unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar 1/4
teaspoon kosher salt
21/4 cups whole milk 2 large eggs 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1 /2
teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FILLING AND TOPPING
2 cups fresh ricotta (page 39), drained for 1 hour 1 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar 1 1⁄2 cups Nutella hazelnut-cocoa spread 1 1⁄2 cups sour cherry or red raspberry preserves,
Preheat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brush the bottom with melted butter. Ladle enough batter (about ¼ to ⅓ cup) into the pan to just cover the bottom. Immediately lift the pan off the heat and swirl the batter around to cover the bottom of the pan as though you were making an omelette. Cook for about 1 minute, until the edges start to look dry but not crispy and a few steam holes appear in the center. This tells you that there’s enough structure to the crepe to be able to flip it over. Using an offset spatula, turn the crepe over and cook for about 30 seconds. Slide the crepe from the pan onto a plate. Continue the process, brushing the pan with melted butter each time and stacking the crepes until all the batter is used.
warmed 3/4
cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
To make the crepes, in a medium bowl sift together the flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl or in a blender, whisk together 2 cups of the milk, the eggs, 2 tablespoons of the butter, and the vanilla. Add one-third of the dry ingredients to the blended liquid and blend until smooth. Repeat twice to blend in the rest of the dry ingredients. Cover and refrigerate the batter for 30 minutes or overnight. When ready to use, whisk the batter thoroughly and add up to ¼ cup more milk if the batter is thicker than runny pancake batter.
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To make the fi lling, put the ricotta and sugar in a bowl and stir until well combined. Spread half of each open crepe with 2 tablespoons of Nutella. Crumble or spread the ricotta over the Nutella. Fold the plain half over the fi lled half and then fold again into a wedge. Place on a serving plate, top each with 2 tablespoons of preserves and 1 tablespoon of chopped hazelnuts, and serve.
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