Blueberry Almond Crepes

YIELD: 18 CREPES

16 oz. cottage cheese
2 egg yolks
3 Tbsps. plus 1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. grated orange peel
½ cup chopped blanched almonds
2 Tbsps. cornstarch
⅔ cup orange juice
4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
18 crepes (recipe follows)
½ cup toasted sliced natural almonds
If desired, as needed, sour cream

For the crepes:
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
¼ tsp. almond extract

1. For filling: In a blender container, place cottage cheese, egg yolks, 3 Tbsps. sugar and orange peel; whirl until well combined. Add chopped almonds; whirl until smooth; set aside.

2. For blueberry sauce: In a saucepan, combine the remaining ½ cup sugar and cornstarch. Stir in orange juice and blueberries. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened and clear, about 1 minute.

3. To assemble: Place 2 rounded Tbsps. of filling on each crepe. Roll and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

4. At serving time: Preheat oven to 300°F. Bake filled crepes until hot, about 15 minutes. Top with blueberry sauce, sprinkle with toasted almonds, and if desired, a dollop of sour cream.

5. For crepes: In a blender container, place all crepe ingredients. Whirl until smooth.

6. Spray crepe pan with non-stick cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Add about 3 Tbsps. batter to pan, tilting to make an even layer. Cook on one side until crepe begins to brown, about 1 minute.

7. Place on a sheet of waxed paper, browned side up. Repeat with remaining batter; layering the crepes with waxed paper.

Photo: U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council

Recipe: Chef Lesley Marquis