Strawberry Crêpes with Brown Sugar-Pecan Streusel and Sour Cream
This is a tribute to two of my favorite summertime desserts: strawberry shortcake and fruit crisp. I adore the flavor combination of strawberries, brown sugar, and sour cream, so here I’m using sour cream rather than the traditional whipped cream. The streusel topping is almost like rich, crumbly chocolate chip cookies (minus the chips). And because you bake the streusel independent of the fruit, it doesn’t get soggy. You can keep the streusel in an airtight container for a few days, but honestly, be careful: If you start nibbling on it, you may not be able to stop.
Makes 6 filled crêpes; serves 6
FOR THE STREUSEL
4 tbsp/55 g unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
½ cup plus 1 tbsp/65 g all-purpose flour
¼ cup/50 g lightly packed dark brown sugar
2 tbsp granulated sugar
81 tsp kosher salt
¼ cup/30 g chopped pecans
2 lb/910 g ripe strawberries, hulled and halved, or quartered if large
¼ cup/50 g lightly packed light or dark brown sugar, plus more as needed
1 tsp fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed
Pinch of kosher salt
6 Versatile or Almond-Brown Butter Crêpes or your choice
½ cup/120 ml sour cream
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
MAKE THE STREUSEL
Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F/190°C/gas 5.
In a medium bowl, using your fingers or a fork, mix the butter, flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt together until the mixture forms small clumps. Add the pecans and mix a little more—you want the streusel to be the texture of clumpy granola. Spread out the streusel in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Freeze until well chilled, about 15 minutes. (You can make the streusel to this point up to 1 day ahead; keep refrigerated in an airtight container.)
Bake the streusel until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. It will probably spread out and look like it’s running together—that’s okay. Remove it from the oven and stir it around with a fork to return it to a granola-like texture. Let cool completely. Lower the oven to 300°F/150°C/gas 2.
MAKE THE STRAWBERRIES
Put the strawberries and brown sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until the juices begin to bubble and the berries are softened but not completely mushy, 4 to 7 minutes, depending on how ripe the berries are. Add the lemon juice and salt. Taste the berries and add more lemon juice or sugar, if needed. Remove the berries from the heat and keep warm.
Put the crêpes on a plate, cover the plate with foil, and set the plate in the oven to heat the crêpes through, at least 10 minutes. Keep warm.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and vanilla until smooth.
Lay a crêpe presentation-side down on each of six dessert plates. Spoon about ½ cup/120 ml of the strawberries in a horizontal line across the center of each one. Roll each crêpe into a loose cylinder, seam-side down. Spoon a thick drizzle of the sour cream over each crêpe, and then shower with the streusel topping. Serve right away.