One of the things I really enjoyed while I was living in the US was Boston Cream Doughnuts. Before I headed to my class, I had done two things; unbury my car from the snow and stop by my closest Dunkin Donuts to buy two Boston creams to enjoy during my day. I was living up in Manchester New Hampshire and I am sure you all know how cold it is up there. Now, multiply this by three for a person like me. I come from a country that when snow reaches one inch everything paralyzes. As you realize I was freakin cold and had to wear my entire closet to keep me warm.
Cold was one thing that was hard for me to get used to. All this snow and the very low temperatures were making my life really hard there. Another one fact that was difficult for me to cope with, was that I was away from my family and friends. I was 25 and it was the first time I was leaving home. I was not afraid; not one bit, but I was really missing my relatives and my friends. I was always in the search of the cheapest telephone company to be able to call home as many times and as much as possible.
It was back in the 90’s and fast food and highly processed food were the stars of the show. I remember one funny story that I want to share with you. I was living in an apartment in a condo about 20 minutes from my college camp. Since I was feeling so nostalgic about Greece, I was trying to do anything possible to keep the memory alive. One of the things I never stopped doing was cooking. Even though it was just me, I kept cooking at least three times per week, delicious Greek food that made me feel like home.
In my condo there was a guy who was working in the maintenance and he was really friendly and kind to me and I, in return, had given him a bottle of ouzo after one return from the homeland. One day he knocked up my door and after the usual chit chat, he told me that one of my floor’s tenants complained because the corridor smelled from my cooking. Now what do you think of that? I thought it was the strangest and funniest thing I have ever heard. How can anyone be annoyed by the smell of a meal? I replied that nothing would make me stop cooking and I didn’t see anything in the building regulations that would deprive me of that activity. I don’t know what happened after that, but no one bothered me for the rest of my stay there and I kept cooking in an even more intense mode.
Boston Cream Doughnuts were some of the things I loved eating back then. I was taking them to class with me or bringing them back home to enjoy after a delicious meal. I was craving them the other day and I thought it would be a great idea to make change things up a bit and instead of making doughnuts I could make them in crepes’ version. I think it is healthier and with less calories. I made a batch and they disappeared before weekend was over. They are perfect even for guests and gatherings because you can prepare everything in advance and warm them up and stuff them minutes before serving them.
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 4 egg yolks, slightly bitten
- ½ cup sugar
- 4 tbsp + 1 tsp corn starch
- 2 cups full fat milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream, 35% fat
- 150 gr. / 5 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
- 1 ½ tsp honey
- In a bowl or blender put all the ingredients and whisk vigorously for about 20 seconds.
- Put the batter in the fridge and let it rest for at least one hour or overnight.
- When ready to make the crepes, make them either in a crepe iron or in a skillet.
- Set them aside.
- Take a pot and put everything but the vanilla extract and the yolks in.
- Put it on medium heat and whisk until the batter starts to thicken.
- Remove and add slowly, slowly the eggs, whisking constantly.
- Add the vanilla and mix.
- Put on low fire again and let it boil for one minute, continuing the whisk.
- Put it in the fridge for at least two hours or overnight.
- In a pot pour the heavy cream and the chocolate and in medium heat melt the chocolate to incorporate.
- Remove from heat and add the honey and whisk.
- Assembly
- Take one crepe place couple of spoonfuls of cream, fold it and top it with the chocolate ganache.
- 2 μεγάλα αυγά
- ¾ φλ. γάλα
- ½ φλ. νερό
- 1 φλ. αλεύρι
- 3 κ.σ. λιωμένο βούτυρο
- 1 κ.γ. ζάχαρη
- 4 κρόκους από μεγάλα αυγά
- ½ φλ. ζάχαρη
- 4 κ.σ. + 1 κ.γ. κορν φλάουρ
- Μια πρέζα αλάτι
- 2 φλ. πλήρες γάλα
- 1 κ.γ. εκχύλισμα βανίλιας ή 2 βανιλλίνες
- ½ φλ. κρέμα γάλακτος 35% λιπαρά
- 150 γρ. κουβερτούρα
- 1 ½ κ.γ. μέλι
- Σε ένα μπολ ή μπλέντερ ρίξτε όλα τα υλικά και ανακατέψτε δυνατά για 20 δεύτερα.
- Βάλτε το μίγμα δτο ψυγείο για τουλάχιστον 1 ώρα ή όλη τη νύχτα.
- Όταν είστε έτοιμοι, φτιάξτε τις κρέπες ή με την ειδική συσκευή ή σε ένα τηγανάκι.
- Βάλτε τις στην άκρη.
- Ανακατέψτε τη ζάχαρη το κορν φλάουρ και το αλάτι σε μία κατσαρόλα και προσθέστε και το γάλα.
- Βάλτε τη στη φωτιά σε μεσαία θερμοκρασία.
- Ανακατέψτε μέχρι το μίγμα να πήξει.
- Πάρτε από αυτό το μίγμα περίπου δύο κουταλιές της σούπας και ρίξτε τις στους κρόκους και ανακατέψτε.
- Με αυτό τον τρόπο τα αυγά θα έρθουν στην ίδια θερμοκρασία με το μίγμα και δεν θα ψηθούν μέσα σε αυτό.
- Βγάλτε την κατσαρόλα από τη φωτιά και ρίξτε τους κρόκους.
- Ανακατέψτε καλά και ξαναγυρίστε την κατσαρόλα στη φωτιά.
- Ανακατέψτε καλά μέχρι να πήξει τελείως.
- Βγάλτε από τη φωτιά και ρίξτε τη βανίλια.
- Αφήστε να κρυώσει για λίγα λεπτά.
- Βάλτε τη σε ένα γυάλινο μπολ, στρώστε μία μεμβράνη ακριβώς πάνω στην κρέμα και βάλτε στο ψυγείο για τουλάχιστον δύο ώρες ή μέχρι δύο μέρες.
- Βάλτε σε ένα κατσαρολάκι την κρέμα να βράσει.
- Βγάλτε από τη φωτιά και ρίξτε μέσα τη σοκολάτα και το μέλι και ανακατέψτε καλά μέχρι να λιώσει τελείως η σοκολάτα και να έχετε ένα λείο μίγμα.
- Πάρτε μία κρέπα βάλτε δύο κ.σ. κρέμα διπλώστε και ρίξτε μία ή 1 ½ κ.σ. από τη σοκολατένια γκανάς.