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Chocolate Banana Blintzes

Posted by Robyn Lee, February 6, 2008 at 12:00 PM

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Although I love ordering blintzes at restaurants, I've never thought of making them until I read Alice Medrich's recipe for chocolate banana blintzes from Chocolate Holidays. She says they look more complicated than they really are, which gives me a glimmer of hope that I could make them without screwing up too badly.

Chocolate Banana Blintzes

From Alice Medrich's Chocolate Holidays

- serves 6 (3 blintzes each) -

Ingredients

Crepes
3 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
Butter or oil, for frying

Sauce
7 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup milk, plus extra if needed
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large ripe bananas
Butter, for frying
Sour cream, for serving (optional)

Equipment
6-inch frying pan
Tray, lined with wax paper

Chocolate note: You can use any domestic bittersweet or semisweet chocolate without a percentage on the label, or any boutique or imported brand labeled 50 to 60 percent. Higher-percentage chocolates will require extra milk to make the sauce smooth and fluid. You can adjust sweetness by adding sugar to taste.

Procedure

1. To make crepes, combine eggs, flour, salt, milk, and melted butter in a blender or food processor. Pulse just until blended. Chill for 1 hour or up to 1 day.

2. Heat a 6-inch frying pan over medium-high heat. Brush it lightly with butter. Pour in 2 tablespoons of batter and tilt the pan immediately to coat the surface evenly. When the crepe is uniformly translucent and the surface no longer looks wet, 45 seconds to 1 minute, loosen the edges with a spatula and invert the pan over a piece of wax paper. Repeat with the remaining batter, buttering the pan when necessary. Use the crepes immediately, or stack between sheets of wax paper, cover airtight, and refrigerate up to 2 days.

3. To make the sauce, mix chocolate, milk, sugar, end vanilla in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, Or microwave on Medium (50 percent) power, about 2 minutes. Stir frequently until smooth, adding milk as necessary. Use the warm sauce immediately or set aside and use cool. The sauce keeps several days in the refrigerator. Rewarm gently before use.

4. To assemble the blintzes, slice the bananas 1/4 inch thick. Place 3 slices in a row, horizontally, in the middle of a crepe. Spread 1 tablespoon of sauce over them. Fold 2 sides of the crepe, then the top, over the bananas. Fold the bottom up to overlap. Place on a tray. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

5. To serve, heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon of butter and swirl to coat the pan. Cook as many blintzes as will fit comfortably until just browned, about 30 seconds, on each side. Serve plain or with sour cream, if desired.

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