Palacsinta
When cr pes entered the American consciousness, they had an air of fussiness about them. But the truth is they're very easy to make ” and a regular nonstick skillet and ordinary spoon work just as well as any cr pe pan or tiny specialty ladle. This Austro-Hungarian dessert strikes just the right balance of lightness and sweetness.
Ingredients
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk 2 large eggs 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly 1/4 teaspoon salt About 2/3 cup apricot or strawberry jam (from a 10- to 12-oz jar) 1 tablespoon brandy Confectioners sugar (preferably vanilla sugar) for dusting (see cooks' note) Special equipment: a 10-inch nonstick skillet
Preparation
Blend milk, eggs, flour, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, and salt in a blender, scraping down side once or twice, until batter is smooth, about 1 minute. Let batter stand at room temperature 1 hour (this prevents tough cr pes). Stir together jam and brandy in a small bowl. Preheat oven to 250 F. Add 1/2 teaspoon butter to skillet and brush to coat bottom. Heat over moderate heat until hot, about 30 seconds, then pour 1/4 cup batter into skillet, tilting to coat bottom evenly. Cook until underside is pale golden, 11/2 to 2 minutes, then jerk skillet to loosen cr pe and flip cr pe with a spatula. Cook until underside is pale golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer cr pe with spatula to a work surface, turning over so that side cooked first is facedown. Spread cr pe all over with 1 tablespoon jam and roll up jelly-roll style. Transfer to a heatproof platter and keep warm in oven. Make 7 more cr pes in same manner, transferring to oven (rolled cr pes can be arranged side by side or stacked like logs). Dust generously with vanilla sugar. Cooks' notes:To make vanilla sugar, combine 2 cups confectioners sugar with 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and chopped, in an airtight container and let stand, covered, at least 24 hours. Sift to remove vanilla bean before using. Vanilla sugar keeps, in an airtight container at room temperature, indefinitely. Cr pes (without jam) can be made 1 day ahead and kept chilled, separated between layers of wax paper, in an airtight container. Reheat cr pes in a 350 F oven in batches on a large baking sheet in middle of oven until hot, about 1 minute, then spread with jam and roll up. Heat all rolled cr pes on baking sheet in oven until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Dust with vanilla sugar. Makes 8 servings.
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