The inspiration for this dish came from a family tradition we have of making wassail, a traditional warm spiced cider punch from England. While hot chocolate is probably the most common winter drink, this cider is a whole new kind of cozy. It’s made with apple cider, three other fruit juices, and lots of cinnamon sticks. As it cooks, the flavors blend and the whole kitchen begins to smell of warm spice.
After pouring most of the wassail into tall mugs to drink, I saved a couple of cups and made these delicious crepes. If you’ve ever had Crepes Suzette, this recipe is a spin on that. The crepes are simple and delicate. The spiced cider is reduced into a syrup. And the whole dish is the perfect start to any winter morning.
Vanilla Crepes with Winter Spiced Cider Syrup
sweet crepes served in a warm spiced apple cider syrup
- Yield: 20 1x
Ingredients
Winter Spiced Cider
- ½ gallon apple cider
- 1 quart apricot juice
- 1 quart pineapple juice
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- ½ orange, sliced
Crepes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, packed
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups milk
Winter Spiced Cider Syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 cups winter spiced cider
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- orange slices, to garnish
- powdered sugar, to garnish
Instructions
Winter Spiced Cider
- Combine all ingredients in a medium pot and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reserve 2 cups of the cider for the syrup. Save the rest as a cozy holiday drink.
Crepes
- While the cider is cooking, combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the oil and vanilla. Add the milk and mix until incorporated. Add half of the wet ingredients to the dry mixture. Whisk until all of the clumps have dissolved. Add the rest of the liquid and whisk until incorporated. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes. Prepare a bowl of vegetable oil. Take a napkin and fold it into a small square, creating a brush for the oil. Heat a 9-inch crepe pan over medium heat. Brush the pan with oil, just enough to coat the bottom (you don’t want excess oil). Pour 1/3 cup of batter into the pan and swirl it around to make an even layer. Cook until the edges of the crepe are browned. Use a fork to lift one of the edges, and then turn the crepe out onto a platter. Keep warm until serving. Repeat this process until all of the crepes are made.
Winter Spiced Cider Syrup
- In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and salt over medium-high heat. Bring the syrup to a boil. Add the 2 cups of cider and salt. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the syrup has thickened slightly, about 5-8 minutes. Keep warm until the crepes are ready.
To Serve
- Pour the syrup into shallow bowl. Fold the crepes in half and then half again before placing into the syrup. Garnish with slices of orange and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
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