Vegivore Eats | Icelandic crepes with persimmon jam

I picked up three Fuyu persimmons at the market yesterday and spent a considerable amount of time, well, considering them.
 

This marks the first time I've ever bought persimmons, let alone eaten them or cooked with them, and I really didn't know what to expect.  Anything I've since read on these orange, seasonal fruits leaves a lot to interpretation: eat them hard/eat them soft, peel them/don't.
Peeled one, tasted it: like an apple, but with less sharp bite.  A soft, mellow flavor.  Not juicy when slightly underripe like mine were, and while I've read that some persimmons have large black seeds -- these did not.

When I woke up this morning I was still thinking about what to do with these guys, but a need for breakfast was more pressing.  Then it hit me: I'd do something with these persimmons FOR breakfast.  I decided to make Icelandic crepes filled with a persimmon jam. For an "Icelandic" crepe I take a standard French flour-butter-sugar-egg-salt crepe batter and add baking soda/powder (for tenderness and leavening, respectively) as well as spices.  Traditional French crepes kind of need something inside to taste their best but these are almost a meal in themselves, hearty and filling -- like a spicy pancake.  Despite being good on their own, though, I had the idea to fill them with the persimmon jam spiced with cardamom and lemon. Not only did I think the crepes would be the perfect, crispy and airy partner for such a thing, and that the cinnamon and nutmeg of the crepes would be just the right complement to the cardamom in the jam, but I also figured that jam would be a rather non-scary introduction to a new-to-me fruit.

Making crepes...takes some practice.  It helps if you have a crepe pan (I do not), but any shallow 8-10" skillet will work just fine as you get the hang of what you're doing.  The goal is to get the batter layer even and thin and to flip at just the right time -- too early and your crepe will fold and rip, and too late it'll burn.  Frustrating. Save yourself some rage -- pick up a narrow spatula or keep a wide knife nearby to help with the flip. Prepare to sacrifice one or two (or, like, five) to the Norse gods -- the recipe below makes enough crepes for plenty of mistakes, and in the PRO TIPS below I offer a failsafe technique if the classic technique isn't working for you and you justwantittoworkalreadydammit.

The end result was delicious; decidedly autumnal. The pectin-free persimmon jam was sticky, rich and decadent, just enough to be eaten right away without any leftovers. I found myself licking the spoon. Even the failed crepes, crumpled and/or dark, were still excellent for sating my hunger even though not photogenic. Had to eat something while waiting for those batch stars to present themselves!  I came away from this experience with a full belly (the quart of cold milk I enjoyed with these helped with that, I'm sure) and a winning new fall recipe in the books -- warm spices, zesty and alive on this cool morning.

ICELANDIC CREPES WITH PERSIMMON JAM

Enough batter for 15-18 crepes

Enough jam for 8-10 crepes ;)

CREPES:

1/4 c salted butter

2 large eggs

1 3/4 c milk

2 Tbs sugar

1/2 c flour

1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp ground nutmeg

JAM:

2-3 ripe persimmons, peeled and pureed*

(should have a generous 3/4c)

1/2 c raw sugar (or turbinado/demerara)

1 3/4 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp lemon zest

scant 1/4 tsp cardamom

Begin by making the crepes.  Melt the butter slowly in the pan you intend to use for the crepes.  When totally melted, set it aside off the  heat to cool while you whip up the crepe batter.

Whisk together the eggs, milk and sugar, then slowly add in the dry ingredients until completely combined.  Mix in the cooled butter and set the batter aside to rest for 10 minutes.

Turn your attention to the jam.  In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Stirring for about 8-9 minutes, the mixture should come together nicely and fast.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

Back to the crepes. Heat over medium the (former) butter pan until a flick of water sizzles in the pan.

Pour in a scant 1/8c of batter and quickly tilt the pan all around so that the batter covers evenly and completely the bottom of the hot pan.  Let cook until the sides of the crepe get crispy and start curling forward, then flip as carefully as possible.  Let cook another minute or two, then slide or flip out onto a paper-towel lined plate.  Repeat with the rest of the batter, separating the finished crepes with paper towels.

Spread jam on the finished crepe and fold into quarters.  

Dust with powdered sugar if you're feeling really indulgent ;)

...

PRO TIP: Just can't flip that crepe?  At the moment you'd usually try to flip, stick it under a preheated broiler instead.  It'll bubble, look really dramatic, pull it out when just browned.  Loosen the edges with a knife and flip out onto a paper towel-lined plate.  If it won't flip out, carefully peel the crepe by its edge with your fingers as best you can. This might be hot, so watch out! 

Warning: you may get dark(er) spots with this method, because of the intense directed heat.  But it is failsafe!

* PRO TIP: Persimmons on the hard side and won't puree?  Stick 'em in the saucepan before the other ingredients and mash as the heat softens them, stirring occasionally.  Add the other ingredients when you've got yourself a nice juicy sorta puree.  Use an immersion blender if you're worried about texture!