One of the sweetest, simplest, and most satisfying desserts from Lima are homemade crêpes filled with dulce de leche. The crêpes I’m talking about are not as thin and delicate as the French originals, even though they are clearly inspired by them. Maybe this puffier characteristic is the reason why they are called «panqueques» (pancakes) instead. I guess, in a way, they are a hybrid between the two, so they are hard to define as either one.
I like to make the batter a couple hours in advance, or even the night before. And sometimes, I cook all the crêpes at once, because they keep well in the fridge, and they freeze beautifully. To store them, I wait until they are completely cool, and then I stack them between layers of parchment paper or plastic film. I then put them in a plastic bag and pop them in the freezer. This way I can have one or two whenever I have a craving, and create different desserts with ice cream, mousse, or fruits, depending on my mood on that specific day. You can also use them to make savory dishes with mushrooms, asparagus, spinach, cheese, or any other filling.
When I don´t feel like making my own dulce de leche, the store bought version is perfectly fine. It´s not only practical but so delicious too!
See? Making dessert doesn’t have to be a complicated task. In fact, it can be so easy that you won’t have an excuse to keep yourself from enjoying a sweet little something after every meal.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1cup milk
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup dulce de leche
- Strawberries
- Mint leaves
- Confectioners´sugar
- In a bowl combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add eggs and whisk until combined.
- Add milk and water, and mix until smooth. You can make this using a blender if you want.
- Put the batter in the fridge for at least one hour.
- Heat a crêpe pan over medium heat. Melt a little butter on the pan and add about ⅓ of the batter, swirling the pan quickly to cover all the surface. The crêpe should look thin.
- When the edges start to turn lightly golden brown (about 3 minutes), lift with the tip of a spatula and turn it up side down with your fingers. Cook on the other side for one minute and transfer to a plate.
- Repeat with all the batter.
- Transfer the crêpe to a board or large plate.
- Spread some dulce de leche on top. Fold the crêpe in half and then in half again or in thirds. Repeat with the other crepes if you want to eat them, or let them cool down and freeze them.
- Garnish with strawberries and mint leaves. Sprinkle with confectioners´sugar and serve.
Peru Delights
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