Crepes with tonka white chocolate sauce and passion fruit

With Pancake Tuesday on our doorstep, I realised that I do not have a proper crepes recipe on this blog. The only crepes I blogged about before were made with buckwheat flour (which really mostly counts as galettes).
I made crepes last week for la Chandeleur (also known as candlemas or French crepes Day which takes place on 2nd February each year). I knew Pancake Tuesday was only a week later, hence another occasion to eat delicious crepes. Who can say no to eating crepes more than once in a month!

I usually eat my sweet crepes with jam, chocolate spread or lemon and sugar (I only discovered the latter combination when I moved to Ireland). But this time, I wanted something a bit different. I wanted unusual flavours that were creamy, spicy, tropical and tangy.

Lately, I have been a bit obsessed with the addition of tonka bean flavours to chocolate or fruit sauces (I also recently discovered a strawberry and tonka jam to die for). I had not tried it with white chocolate yet so I decided to make it into a sauce. The aromas and spiciness of the tonka bean mix really well with the creaminess of white chocolate. A bit of passion fruit pulp served on top of the sauce is the perfect bit of tangy tropical flavour to go with it and the crepes.
I just cannot wait to eat a plate of these on Pancake Tuesday. It's the just a perfect sweet indulgence to celebrate the occasion.

How do you prefer your crepes? Sweet or savoury? Have you tried unusual flavours that were delicious on a crepe?

(Scroll past the photos for the recipe)

Crepes with Tonka White Chocolate Sauce and Passion Fruit Recipe (Vegetarian)

Ingredients (make 12 crepes)

For the crepes batter
200g sifted plain flour
2 eggs
20g melted butter (plus extra cold butter for frying the crepes)
400ml milk
75/100ml cold water
Optional: 1 tablespoon rum or orange blossom water

For the tonka white chocolate sauce
100g white chocolate chips
150g cream
1/2 grated tonka bean

Pulp of 5 passion fruits

The crepes

1. Put the sifted plain flour in a large baking bowl and form a well in the centre. Add in the eggs and melted butter and whisk constantly while pouring the milk until you get a very smooth batter (you can also add a tablespoon of rum or orange blossom water if you feel like it; it gives the crepes a wonderful flavour). Transfer the batter through a sieve into a large jug (this will remove any remaining flour lumps). Cover and rest for two hours at room temperature (if you plan on waiting longer than that before, put the batter in the fridge directly).

2. After the batter has rested, stir in a bit of cold water to dilute it (75 or 100ml depending on how thick or thin you would like your crepes).

3. Put a crêpe pan (or a shallow non-stick pan, 20cm diameter preferably) over a medium to high heat. Melt a small knob of butter in the pan. When it starts sizzling, pour a small amount of batter (you can use a ladle to do so but do not fill it completely or you will end up with very thick crepes; it should be the equivalent of 2 or 3 tablespoons). Swirl the pan quickly so the batter coats the bottom evenly. After a minute or so, flip the crepe delicately on its other side with a large spatula. Cook for another 30 seconds and transfer onto a plate. Cover with tin foil to keep the crepes warm.
Repeat with the rest of the batter.

The tonka white chocolate sauce

Place the white chocolate chips in a bowl. Put the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until simmering (not boiling). Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate chips and let it stand for 5 minutes. Stir well, add the powder from the grated tonka bean and transfer the sauce into a serving jug.

To assemble the dessert

Put one or two crepes (folded in 4) per dessert plate. Drizzle some tonka white chocolate sauce on top and add some passion fruit pulp. Et voilà!

Bon appétit!