Pear And Ricotta Blintzes With Spiced Maple Butter Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Make the batter: Combine the milk, water, eggs, flour, sugar, and salt in a blender. Blend on medium speed for 15 seconds, until the batter is smooth and lump-free. Scrape down the sides of the blender and pour in the melted butter. Blend it again for a few seconds just to incorporate the butter. Refrigerate the batter for 1 hour to let it rest.
• Make the filling: In a small bowl combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, egg, confectioners' sugar, and zest and blend until smooth. Chill until ready to use.
• Make the sauce: Combine the strawberries, sugar, water, cornstarch, and zest in a small pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and stir gently until the berries release their natural juices. The consistency should remain a bit chunky, it will thicken up when it cools down.
• Make the crepes: Put an 8-inch crepe pan or nonstick skillet over medium heat and brush with a little melted butter. Pour 1/4 cup batter into the pan and swirl it around so it covers the bottom evenly; pour back any excess. Cook until the crepe batter sets and the bottom is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Use a heatproof rubber spatula to loosen the crepe and flip it. Cook it on the other side for about 1 minute. Slide them onto a plate and continue making the crepes until all the batter is used. Cover the stack with a towel to keep them from drying out. Makes about 10 crepes.
• Assembly: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Spoon 1/4 cup of the cheese filling along the lower third of the crepe. Fold the bottom edge away from you to just cover the filling; then fold the 2 sides in to the center. Roll the crepe away from you a couple of times ending with the seam side down. Put an ovenproof skillet over medium heat and brush with melted butter. Pan-fry the blintzes top side down until crisp and golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip them over, transfer the pan to the oven, and bake for 10 minutes so the cheese mixture sets. Using a spatula, transfer the blintzes to serving plates. Spoon the strawberry sauce on top, dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a small saute pan over medium heat. Stir in the almonds and saute, tossing frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the almonds are a golden brown. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel, add the maple syrup and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, honey and vanilla and divide it among breakfast plates. Surround the ricotta with the berries and spoon the almond and maple syrup mixture over the ricotta. Place a slice of toasted brioche on each plate and serve warm.
• Set a medium-meshed sieve over a deep bowl. Line the sieve with two double layers of cheesecloth and dampen the cheesecloth.
• Pour the milk and cream into a large stainless steel or enameled pot such as Le Creuset and stir in the salt. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally (a full rolling boil means that the bubbles have expanded in the pot). Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for one minute until it curdles.
• Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow it to drain into the bowl, discarding the liquid as it collects in the bowl. Allow it to drain at room temperature for 20 to 25 minutes. The longer you let the mixture drain, the thicker it will be. Transfer the ricotta to another bowl, discarding the cheesecloth and any remaining liquid. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Yield: about 2 cups

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Whisk all ingredients in heavy small saucepan over low heat until butter melts. Cool until slightly thickened, whisking occasionally. (Can be made 3 days ahead; chill.)
• For crêpes:
• Blend milk and eggs in blender until smooth. Add flour, butter, sugar and salt; blend until smooth batter forms. Chill 1 hour and up to 2 hours. Reblend for 10 seconds before using.
• Heat nonstick skillet with 8-inch bottom over medium-high heat; brush with oil. Pour scant 3 tablespoons batter into skillet. Rotate and shake skillet to spread batter over bottom. Cook until crêpe is brown at edges and appears dry on top, about 20 seconds. Turn crêpe over. Cook until brown spots form on bottom of crêpe, about 12 seconds. Turn crêpe out onto paper towel; cover with paper towel. Repeat, making about 26 crêpes and brushing skillet occasionally with oil. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap; chill.)
• For filling:
• Mix currants and rum in small bowl; let stand 15 minutes. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Mix in pears and 1/4 cup sugar. Cook until pears are tender and brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes; cool.
• Beat cream cheese, eggs, peel, vanilla and 1/4 cup sugar in bowl. Beat in ricotta cheese; stir in pear and currant mixtures. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Place 1 crêpe, spotted side up, on work surface. Shape 1/4 cup filling into 3-inch-long log in center of crêpe. Fold bottom of crêpe over filling. Fold in sides; roll up. Place seam side down in prepared dish. Repeat with remaining filling and crêpes.
• Cover dish with foil. Bake blintzes until thermometer inserted into center of filling registers 160°F to 170°F, about 45 minutes. Place 2 blintzes on each plate. Whisk sauce over low heat until just warm and smooth. Serve blintzes with sauce.

Steps:

• Core pear from bottom, leaving stem intact. Cut in half vertically. Slice pear, but not all the way through, leaving slices attached at the stem. , In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese and 1 teaspoon honey. Place pear halves on dessert plates; fan slightly. Spread ricotta mixture over pear slices. Drizzle with remaining honey; sprinkle with walnuts. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Combine pears and juice in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes or until tender. Place pear mixture in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
• Combine pureed pear mixture, sugar, cinnamon and cardamom (if desired) in pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered 55 minutes or until mixture is thick, stirring frequently. Stir in vanilla. Cool. Store butter in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 months.