PANCAKES
2 3/4 c All-purpose flour
1 ts Sugar
1 pn Salt
1 c Milk
3 lg Eggs
1 c Club soda or seltzer
1/4 c Butter; clarified*
WALNUT FILLING
1/2 c Half-and-half cream
2 c Walnuts; ground
1/2 c Sugar
1/4 c Finely chopped raisins
2 tb Light rum
1 ts Grated orange peel
CHOCOLATE-RUM SAUCE
3/4 c Milk
3 lg Egg yolks
2 tb Sugar
2 tb Unsweetened cocoa
4 oz Semisweet chocolate; melted
2 tb Light rum
1 tb Butter
1/4 c Butter
Pancakes: Combine flour, sugar and salt in medium bowl. Make a well in
center; pour in milk and eggs and whisk until smooth. Cover and let stand 1
to 2 hours. Just before cooking, stir in club soda. Heat 8-inch nonstick
skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with clarified butter. Ladle scant 1/4
cup batter into skillet, tipping to coat bottom of pan. Cook until golden.
Turn pancake over and cook 5 seconds more. Transfer to plate. Repeat with
remaining butter and batter, stacking cooked pancakes. (Can be made ahead.
Wrap cooled pancakes and refrigerate up to 2 days.) Makes about 16
pancakes.
Walnut Filling: Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Add remaining
ingredients and simmer 1 minute. Makes 12/3 cups. Chocolate-Rum Sauce:
Bring milk to boil in medium saucepan. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks with
sugar and cocoa in small bowl. Gradually whisk hot milk into yolks. Return
mixture to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, just until
mixture thickens slightly and coats back of spoon, 7 minutes. (Do not
boil.) Stir in melted chocolate, rum and butter. (Can be made ahead. Cool.
Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Reheat in double boiler over
simmering water.) Makes 11/2 cups.
Spread 2 tablespoons walnut filling in center of each of 12 pancakes and
fold into quarters. (Can be made ahead. Place crepes in single layer on
cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.) To
serve, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add pancakes a few at
a time, turning to coat, and heat through. Arrange on serving platter.
Serve with Chocolate-Rum Sauce. Makes 6 servings. *To clarify butter, melt
over low heat in small saucepan. Skim foam from top. Pour off clear liquid,
discarding solids in bottom of pan.
NOTES : Indulgent but worth it This dessert is named after George?s
restaurant, Gundel, which opened in Budapest in May. Don?t be
intimidated?the crepes, chocolate sauce and filling can be prepared ahead.
Prep time: 45 minutes plus standing ~ Cooking time: 10 minutes
Yields
6 Servings