Fall is a season of change and transition, with the leaves changing colors and dropping from their branches. It’s also a time for many delicious fall recipes that are perfect for this time of year! One dish in particular that I am excited to share today is vegan buttermilk cornmeal crepes stuffed with figs, pears and balsamic plum sauce. This recipe has all the flavors you would expect from traditional recipes like pumpkin pie or apple crisp without any of the dairy!
As you know, cornmeal crepes are a versatile dish that can be filled with anything from savory ingredients like mushrooms, spinach and cheese to sweet ones like chocolate or lemon curd. The cornmeal gives these crepes the perfect texture without making them taste rough or gritty since they are made of mostly flour!
Since we are preparing this recipe for fall, I wanted to keep it on the sweeter side while still getting some great flavor from fresh fruit. To start off our filling, we will need about two cups of chopped figs (fresh or dried) and pears cut into small pieces (about one cup). This is also an opportunity to use any leftover balsamic-plum sauce if you have it sitting in your pantry – just consider yourself warned because you might not be able to stop eating it!
Now that we have our filling, let’s start on the crepes. We will need one cup of vegan butter milk and three eggs (or you can use water for a veggie version). Mix these together until they are thoroughly combined then set aside. Next grab your mixing bowl again but this time add two cups of cornmeal, three-quarters cup sugar and salt. Whisk all those ingredients up to make sure there are no clumps before adding in a half teaspoon baking powder followed by five tablespoons vegetable oil or melted coconut oil . Then go back to your first bowl containing the vegan “buttermilk” mixture where you should also add about five tablespoons flour from where ever flour is available.
Now you can take the time to preheat your pan on medium-low heat and get out a measuring bowl with some water in it for later use. You will also need two spoons, one of which should be metal to scrape off any excess batter from the crepe once flipped before placing into the pan (I find that silicone works too).
Finally we are ready to start cooking! Start by adding about half tablespoon of oil or vegan butter onto your heated skillet followed by swirling around so as not leave any “dry” spots if possible. Then dip your spoon back into whatever liquid you have set aside earlier then pour enough batter onto the hot surface to cover most but not all of it. Cook until bottom is well-browned and the top has set, then flip with your metal spoon.
Once turned over you can add fillings if desired before it is folded into a half circle or rectangle shape and placed on a plate to serve. For these crepes I used figs that had been cooked in balsamic plum sauce as one filling while adding pear for another layer of sweetness. You could always substitute other fruit such as strawberries if needed! And they are best served fresh off the stove so make sure everything else is ready first (a very important tip!).
Verdict: Quite tasty but also quite time consuming when compared to regular crepes since you have to wait until they brown enough on both sides before being able to turn them over. It is also best to use a non-stick pan if it doesn’t have slats on the bottom so you can make sure they don’t stick.
Conclusion: While I was skeptical at first about these vegan crepes, they were quite tasty and definitely worth it to try out. So next time you are in the mood for a vegan crepe or in need of a gluten free crepe recipe, this one is for you.