Ricotta Cheese Blintzes With Berry Topping Food

BLUEBERRY BLINTZES

Steps:

• Combine the milk, water, eggs, flour, salt and sugar in a blender. Blend on medium speed for 15 seconds, until the batter is smooth and lump-free. Scrape down the sides of the blender and pour in 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Blend it again for a second just to incorporate. Refrigerate the batter for 1 hour to let it rest. If the crepes are made immediately, they have a tendency to be rubbery; when you let the batter rest, the crepes have a better texture and a softer bite.
• Put an 8-inch crepe pan or nonstick skillet over medium heat and brush with a little melted butter for added assurance. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and swirl it around so it covers the bottom evenly; pour back any excess. Cook for 30 to 45 seconds, until the crepe batter sets. Lightly bang the edge of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen the crepe; then flip it and cook another 30 seconds. The art of flipping a crepe in the air takes practice, so make sure no one is looking when you get the first one going. If this intimidates you, use a heatproof rubber spatula to loosen and flip the crepe. The crepes should be pliable, not crisp, and lightly brown. Slide them onto a platter and continue making the crepes until all the batter is used. Cover the stack of crepes with a towel to keep them from drying out. This makes 10 crepes.
• Assembly: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Forming the blintzes is kind of like making burritos. Spoon 1/4 cup of the Cheese Filling along the lower third of the crepe. Fold the bottom edge away from you to just cover the filling; then fold the 2 sides in to the center. Roll the crepe away from you a couple of times to make a package, ending with the seam side down. Put an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Brush with melted butter. Pan-fry the blintzes for 2 minutes per side until crisp and golden.
• Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 10 minutes so the egg in the filling cooks slightly and the cheese sets. Using a spatula, transfer the blintzes to serving plates. Spoon the Blueberry Sauce on top, dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve right away.
• Serve with chopped banana and remaining Blueberry Sauce. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
• In a food processor, combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and egg and blend until smooth. Chill the filling to firm it up a bit so it doesn't squirt out of the blintzes.
• Combine the butter, blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a small pot over medium-high heat. Bring up to a low boil and stir gently until the berries break down and release their natural juices. The consistency should remain a bit chunky. It will thicken up when it cools down slightly.

BLUEBERRY RICOTTA BLINTZES

Steps:

• 1. For blintzes: Combine flour, milk, 1/4 cup water, egg, Truvia® natural sweetener, and salt in a blender until smooth. Scrape down the sides; add the 2 tablespoons melted butter and pulse to combined. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
• 2. For filling: Beat the ricotta and cream cheese in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Add the egg, Truvia® natural sweetener and lemon zest and beat until smooth.
• 3. Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until a drop of water bounces briefly on the surface before evaporating. Quickly pour 2 tablespoons of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to coat the bottom and make a thin pancake. Cook until the bottom is golden, about 1 minute. Transfer to parchment or wax paper to cool. Continue with the remaining batter, stacking blintzes as they cool.
• 4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spoon 2 tablespoons cheese filling on the lower third of the lighter side of the blintz, fold the sides over the filling and then fold in the bottom, rolling up into a tight package. Place blintz, seam side down, on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pancakes and filling. Bake until puffed and heated through, about 20 minutes.
• 5. Meanwhile, stir together 1 cup blueberries, 1/8 cup water and Truvia® natural sweetener in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened and saucy, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup blueberries and lemon juice. Serve blintzes warm with the blueberry compote.

CHEF JOHN'S CHEESE BLINTZES

Steps:

• Place 3 eggs, flour, milk, water, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract in a blender. Blend until completely smooth, 1 or 2 minutes, scraping down sides as needed. Let batter sit at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Whisk together ricotta cheese, cream cheese, lemon zest, egg, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix together thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate.
• Heat a 10-inch, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray or brush lightly with vegetable oil. Pour in about 1/4 cup batter. Immediately swirl batter around to coat bottom of pan. Cook until surface looks dry, about 1 minute. Flip crepe over to briefly cook other side, about 30 seconds. Remove to a plate. Repeat with the rest of batter. Stack crepes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly butter a baking dish.
• Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of filling onto the crepe, about an inch from edge nearest you. Fold edge over filling and flatten slightly. Fold in both sides, then roll up crepe into a small filled rectangle, ending with the seam on the bottom, creating a blintz.
• Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Cook the blintzes until golden brown on both sides, turning gently, about 2 minutes. Transfer to buttered baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven to firm up the filling, about 12 minutes. Cool blintzes 10 minutes before serving. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar.

BLUEBERRY CHEESE BLINTZES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Blend all ingredients with a hand blender (or in a food processor) and let batter rest for 20 minutes. If you are whisking by hand, strain batter before resting.
• To make crepes, heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Spray with food release, or lightly coat with oil (you will only have to do this every other time).
• Pour 2 ounces of batter into the center of the pan and lift the pan off the heat, swirling the batter around to coat the pan evenly. Return pan to heat and cook crepes for 3 minutes, until edges turn light brown. Gently loosen edges of crepe with a spatula and flip crepe over in pan. If this presents a challenge, simply turn burner down to medium low heat and cook crepe longer on one side, until crepe is completely dry looking (crepe will cook without flipping). Loosen edges of crepe and slide onto a plate to cool. Repeat with remaining batter.
• After crepes have cooled, be sure to wrap well until ready to fill. Do not store in fridge - if not using right away, freeze and thaw when ready to fill.
• Filling:.
• Stir together ricotta, sour cream and sugar. Stir in egg, egg yolk, vanilla and nutmeg.
• To Assemble:.
• Butter a baking pan with melted butter. Place 2 crepes on the counter, with the paler sides facing up. Place about 2 tablespoons fresh blueberries in the center of each crepe and spoon about 3 ounces of the ricotta filling on top of the berries. Fold edges of crepe over 4 times to create a square parcel. Turn parcel over and place in baking pan. Repeat with remaining crepes, placing them very close to each other in the pan.
• Brush tops of blintzes with butter, and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until they puff up like little pillows.
• Serve immediately, dusted generously with icing sugar and with a little blueberry sauce or fresh berries. A scoop of vanilla ice cream also has a place on such a dessert!
• The blintz crepes freeze wonderfully! Similar to classic French crepes, blintz crepes are more tender due to the great amount of butter in them.