Crepes Passion

Preparation

1. Make pastry cream:

   Step 1

   In a large heatproof bowl whisk together yolks, sugar, and cornstarch (mixture will be very stiff). In a heavy saucepan bring milk and vanilla just to a boil. Add 1/2 cup milk mixture to egg mixture in a stream, whisking, and whisk until smooth. Whisk egg-milk mixture into remaining milk in pan and simmer, whisking constantly, until very thick, about 2 minutes. Transfer hot pastry cream to a clean heatproof bowl and cool, surface covered with buttered wax paper. Chill pastry cream at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Whisk pastry cream before using.

2. Make passion fruit sauce:

   Step 2

   Halve passion fruit crosswise and scoop flesh and seeds into a bowl. In a heavy saucepan combine sugar and 1 tablespoon water and cook over moderately high heat, undisturbed, until sugar begins to melt. Continue cooking mixture, stirring with a fork, until sugar is melted and syrup is golden. Remove pan from heat. Carefully add remaining water down side of pan and stir in passion fruit (caramel will bubble up and steam). Return pan to heat and simmer sauce, stirring, until caramel is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add butter, 1 piece at time, stirring until incorporated and sauce is smooth. Sauce may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat sauce over low heat before serving.

3. Make crêpes:

   Step 3

   Preheat oven to 350°F.

   Step 4

   In a bowl whisk together yolks and 3 tablespoons sugar until thick and pale. Sift flour over mixture and whisk until combined. Add 3 tablespoons butter and milk and whisk until smooth. In another bowl beat whites with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar until they just hold soft peaks and fold into milk mixture gently but thoroughly.

   Step 5

   Heat an 8-inch non-stick skillet over moderately high heat until hot and brush with some additional butter. (If skillet handle is plastic, wrap handle in a double thickness of foil.) Pour 1 cup batter into skillet, swirling to coat bottom, and cook until crêpe loosens from side of skillet and underside is pale golden, about 3 minutes. (Crêpe will be puffed, almost like a soufflé.) Transfer skillet to middle of oven and continue cooking crêpe until top is set, about 2 minutes.

   Step 6

   Put about 1/4 cup pastry cream in center of crêpe and fold in half. With a wide metal spatula carefully slide crêpe onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Makes 3 more crêpes in same manner with remaining batter and pastry cream, gently stirring batter occasionally so egg whites remain incorporated. Reheat crêpes in oven before serving.

4. Step 7

   Dust crêpes with confectioners' sugar and serve with passion fruit sauce.