Crepes with Cherry Orange Syrup (Paleo, Gluten free)

On weekend mornings, I like to start the day with something a little bit special.  Eggs are great, but what I really want on a lazy Saturday morning is something sweet.  As you may have noticed, I have already made lots of paleo and gluten free pancakes.  So, I decided to give gluten free crepes a try.

The first recipe I stumbled upon called for tapioca flour, and no other dry ingredients.  The crepes looked great and held together well, but they were super gummy.  You know those big, flat rice noodles that are in pad see ew?  That kind of gummy.  I love it in my Thai food, but not in my crepes.  (I was, however, inspired to create a recipe for wide flat noodles using tapioca starch.  I'm still tweaking it, and hoping to share it, along with a paleo pad see ew recipe, soon.)

Today's recipe is uses coconut flour and tapioca starch, with great results.  These crepes are very similar to the real deal, and very easy to make.  The best part, though?  The cherry orange syrup.  Ever since I discovered frozen dark sweet cherries at Whole Foods, I have wanted to put them in everything.  They are sweet enough to form the base for a delicious paleo ice cream without any other sweeteners.  In this sauce, they are paired with orange juice and zest and a little vanilla to make my new favorite breakfast condiment.  I'm thinking it would be fabulous on vanilla ice cream, too.  Even if you are not paleo or gluten free, you should make this syrup and put it on your regular crepes!  Or, figure out a way to make it into a cocktail...the possibilities are endless.  I have a feeling I'll be blogging about this syrup again soon!  In the meantime, I hope you give this deluxe weekend breakfast a try.

Ingredients (serves 2):

For the cherry orange syrup (makes about 1 cup):

1 heaping cup frozen dark sweet cherries

4 strips of orange zest (use a peeler to remove zest from 1/4 of the orange)

Juice of 1/2 orange (slice the other half to serve with the crepes)

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Pinch of salt

To make the cherry orange syrup, combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.  Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the cherries are starting to break apart, about ten minutes.  Cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.  Serve hot or warm.

This recipe makes enough for more than one batch of crepes.  Store leftovers in a jar in the refrigerator and use within a few days.

For the crepes (makes 6; adapted from Against All Grain):

3 large eggs

1/2 cup almond milk

1 teaspoon coconut oil

Pinch of salt

1 and 1/2 tablespoons coconut flour, sifted 

1 tablespoon tapioca flour/tapioca starch, sifted

Butter or coconut oil for cooking

Whisk together all ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth.  Let the batter sit for ten minutes, then whisk again.

Heat the butter or coconut oil in a skillet over medium to medium high heat, making sure the bottom and sides are covered.  When the pan is hot, add about 1/4 cup of batter, and quickly swirl the pan to cover the surface.  Cook for a minute or two, until the bottom is golden and the edges are starting to lift from the pan.  Carefully slide a spatula underneath and flip.  Cook for about 15 seconds on that side, then transfer to a plate.  

Serve crepes folded or rolled, with cherry orange sauce on top and orange slices and/or fresh cherries on the side.

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