Brie, Fig Jam and Walnut Crepes

Ingredients

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• 125g (4½oz)plain flour
• 250ml (9fl oz)whole milk
• 2large eggs
• 20g (¾oz)unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for the pan
• a pinchfine salt
• 150g (5oz)ripe brie, rind on, sliced 5mm thick — leave at room temperature for at least an hour before using
• 4 tbspgood fig jam, a proper conserve, not a runny jelly
• 50g (2oz)walnut halves, roughly broken after toasting
• to tastefreshly cracked black pepper

Method

1. 1

   Make the crepe batter: combine flour, eggs, and about a third of the milk in a bowl. Whisk from the centre until smooth, then add the remaining milk in stages, whisking between additions. Stir in the melted butter and salt. Rest for at least 20 minutes — the longer rest matters more for a savoury batter, giving maximum tenderness.

2. 2

   While the batter rests, toast the walnuts. Spread them in a dry frying pan over medium heat and cook for 3–4 minutes, shaking the pan often, until they are golden and smell distinctly nutty. Tip immediately onto a board and leave to cool. Once cool, break them roughly with the flat of a knife or your hands — some larger pieces, some smaller. Set aside.

   Watch the walnuts carefully. They go from golden to burnt in about 90 seconds. The moment they smell good, they are done.
3. 3

   Slice the brie into pieces roughly 5mm thick, rind on. The rind softens nicely when warm. If the brie is very cold, it will not melt evenly — leave it at room temperature for at least an hour before this step.

4. 4

   Heat a non-stick frying pan (22–24cm) over medium-high heat. Add a small knob of butter. When the foam subsides, pour in a thin layer of batter, tilting immediately. Cook for about 75 seconds until the edges are dry and set. Flip and cook for 45 seconds more. Slide onto a warm plate. Repeat to make 8 crepes.

   Stack the crepes as you go — they do not stick.
5. 5

   To fill: return one crepe to the pan over low heat. Arrange 3–4 slices of brie across one half, leaving a small border. Spoon a tablespoon of fig jam over the brie. Scatter a quarter of the toasted walnuts over the jam.

6. 6

   Fold the unfilled half over the filling, then fold again into a quarter. Press gently. Leave in the pan for 60–90 seconds over low heat, so the brie begins to melt and the outside of the crepe crisps slightly.

   You want the brie just molten — not so hot it all runs out when you lift it.
7. 7

   Slide onto a warm plate. Crack black pepper generously over the top. Serve immediately with a glass of dry white wine. Two filled crepes per person.

Pro Tips

• →Buy brie that gives slightly when you press the centre. A chalky, underripe brie does not melt properly and will taste bland inside the crepe. If in doubt, buy it a day ahead and leave it at room temperature.
• →Use fig jam, not fresh figs. Fresh figs are too wet and make the crepe soggy inside the fold. A good quality fig conserve holds together properly.
• →Toast the walnuts. Raw walnuts have a slight bitterness that toasting converts into something rounded, nutty, and far more pleasant alongside the brie.
• →Serve with dry white wine — something crisp and unoaked, like a Chablis, Picpoul, or a dry Alsatian Riesling. The fat of the brie and sweetness of the fig need the acidity.
• →Work quickly once the crepes are filled and in the pan. The brie melts fast and the window between perfectly molten and overflowed is about two minutes.

Topping Ideas

Terms in this recipe

Defined in the Pancake Day glossary.

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