Crepas de Cajeta
I believe I was about six years old when I fell in love for the first time. You see, Sundays are usually family days in Mexico, a day when brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and parents stroll around and go out to eat. My parents would often take us to restaurants that had tableside service (but they were not as fancy as you might think), and my sister Yael and I always ordered the crepas de cajeta. They were only good if they were cooked as a spectacle, because that was a big part of the deliciousness that would soon follow. We would stand way too close to the waiter and impatiently watch as the butter bubbled when it hit the pan. The cajeta was poured and a thick, gooey caramel sauce slowly melted into a silky sheet that would cover and warm the golden crepes that were folded into triangles. We begged for the spoon that inevitably had some cajeta left on it, and more often than not had fights over it. And then we would take a step back so we could watch the blue and orange flames as if they were the “poof” in a magic trick. Oh, the anticipation would make our mouths water, and although we stood still, I felt as though my heart was jumping up and down every time—I thought they were palpitations for the man who made those wonderful crepes! We would rush to our seats as he plated the crepes and would hold our forks ready to attack. Yael always asked for vanilla ice cream, and it is the ideal complement to the dessert, even though, in my opinion, they are perfect just the way they are. If you would like them with ice cream, they go very nicely with Requesón Cheese Ice Cream (page 185).
Recipe information
Yield
serves about 8
Ingredients
Crepes
Caramel Sauce
Preparation
Step 1
TO MAKE THE CREPES, combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for 1 hour and blend again before using.
Step 2
Heat a small nonstick pan (about 8 inches) over medium heat and brush lightly with butter. Ladle or pour about 1/4 cup of the batter into it, tilting it all around to coat the bottom (the crepes should be thin but not completely see-through). Cook until the top is a nice golden color, flip carefully with a spatula, and cook until the second side is browned, 2 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and repeat to use up all the batter. When all the crepes are stacked up, separate them one by one and stack them again (this is to prevent sticking). The crepes can be made ahead of time and cooled, wrapped well in plastic, and frozen for up to 1 month. Let thaw before proceeding with the recipe.
Step 3
TO MAKE THE CARAMEL SAUCE, melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat until it begins to turn a slight brownish color and gives off a nutty aroma. Add the cajeta and milk and cook until bubbly and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the brandy, and return to the heat, tilting the pan slightly to light the alcohol and burn it off (be careful). Add the crepes, one by one, submerging them in the sauce and folding them in half and then in half again so they look like triangles (alternatively, you can form the triangles beforehand and then submerge in the sauce or pour the sauce over them, but if you fold them once they are in the cajeta, you will ensure that they are evenly coated). Place about 3 on each plate and top with some of the toasted pecans.
