The clouds have parted, and there is a 3-day weekend in sight! If you plan on cooking this Labor Day weekend, make it a labor of love. We’re talking sugar, chocolate and the grand daddy of all that is nutty: Nutella. This recipe for Crepella Gianduja, or Crepes filled with Hazelnut-Chocolate Cream, takes your usual nutella crepe to the next level (we didn’t even know there was a next level until we met these crepes). The beauty of it is you can use the crepe recipe as a building block for all the variations you can imagine – sweet or savory!

Crespella Gianduja: Crepes Filled with Hazelnut-Chocolate Cream
This recipe from our vault can also be found in our Dessert Recipe Library!

Ingredients
Crepe Batter:
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon brandy
2/3 cup unbleached flour

6 Tablespoons melted butter for buttering the crepe pan and cooked crepes
Roll of parchment paper to put between cooked crepes

Crepe Filling:
1 cup chocolate-hazelnut paste, such as Nutella
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1 Tablespoon brandy or hazelnut liqueur

Whipped Cream Garnish:
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cocoa powder (or powdered sugar) for dusting
1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and chopped

Methods/Steps
Prepare Batter: In a blender, combine the eggs, milk, melted butter, sugar, salt, vanilla and brandy. Blend well. Add the flour, and pulse for 10 seconds. Do not over mix. Let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Batter will look thin and that’s a good thing!

Crepe Filling: In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the chocolate-hazelnut paste with the crème fraîche and brandy at low speed until smooth.

Whip Cream: Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to a medium bowl. With a hand mixer or whisk, whip the cream to soft peaks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.

Prep the Pan: Heat a 7-inch nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, use a pastry brush to lightly brush the bottom of the pan with melted butter; pour off any excess butter. Test the pan with a few drops of the batter. If they sizzle, the pan is ready.

Make the Crepes: Pour the crepe batter into a liquid measuring cup (with spout). Pour enough of the crepe batter into the sauté pan until the bottom of the pan is covered. Wait 5 seconds, then pour the batter back into the liquid measuring cup. (A perfect amount will adhere to the pan for the perfect crepe). Cook crepe until center looks set, 45-55 seconds. Using a non-stick or an offset spatula, carefully flip crepe; cook 1 minute more. Transfer to a small sheet pan and cover with a square of parchment paper. Repeat cooking process with the remaining butter and batter.

Assembly: Spoon about 2 Tablespoons of chocolate-hazelnut cream in the center of the crepe. Fold in half and gently press to spread the chocolate-hazelnut cream evenly inside. Fold crepe into quarters, brush crepes with butter and arrange the crepes slightly overlapping, onto a buttered sheet pan. Once all the crepes have been assembled, cover the sheet pan with foil and warm in a 250 degree oven for 5 minutes.

Serve: Arrange 2 crepes on each plate and spoon a dollop of whipped cream on top. Sprinkle with cocoa powder or powdered sugar and toasted hazelnuts. Serve immediately.

Serves/Makes
Makes 16 crepes; Serves 8
Recipe created by Parties That Cook® www.PartiesThatCook.com.