Ingredients
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
2 tbsp. powdered sugar
1 c. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. butter, melted, plus more for pan
2 (8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 1/4 c. drained ricotta
Zest of ½ lemon
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Pinch kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 pt. blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
Water, as needed
1/2 c. prunes, chopped
1 tbsp. rum
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 c. water
2 tsp. lemon juice
Fresh berries, for serving
Preparation
Step 1In a medium bowl using a hand mixer, whisk eggs until frothy, 2 minutes. Add milk, salt, nutmeg (if using), and powdered sugar and whisk until completely smooth. Place flour in a large bowl and add half the egg mixture. Whisk until completely smooth, then whisk in remaining flour. Add butter and whisk until incorporated. Cover batter and let sit for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 days if refrigerated.Step 2Meanwhile, make the cheese filling: In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add ricotta, lemon zest, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg and beat until combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.Step 3Make the berry sauce: In a small sauce pot, add all sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook until berries break down and sauce thickens slightly and turns shiny, about 5 minutes. Add water by the teaspoon until ideal consistency is reached.Step 4Optionally, make the prune sauce: In a small sauce pot, add all sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook until prunes break down and sauce thickens slightly and turns shiny, about 10 minutes. Add lemon juice, let cool slightly, and optionally immersion blend until smooth. Step 5Cook the crepes: In a medium skillet over medium to medium-low heat, melt ½ tablespoon butter. Add ¼ cup batter evenly onto the pan, swirling it around to evenly coat the bottom. Cook until the edges peel away from the sides of the skillet and the surface of the crepe turns matte, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining batter; reduce and adjust heat as necessary.Step 6Assemble blintzes: Place a crepe on a clean surface and spoon about 3 tablespoons cheese filling near the bottom of the crepe. Fold up bottom flap and tightly fold in sides, then gently roll up to form a log. Repeat with remaining crepes and filling.Step 7Optionally, return your skillet to medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon butter. In batches, add blintzes and sear until lightly golden, about 1 minute. Sprinkle a little granulated sugar over blintzes in the last 20 seconds of cooking to caramelize the outside. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly.Step 8Serve with your choice of sauce and fresh berries, if desired.
While they can swing sweet or savory, cheese blintzes are best served with fresh berry sauce. If you’re feeling adventurous, I’ve also included a rum-infused prune sauce below to awaken your inner grandmas. There’s a good reason why this well-loved Ashkenazi Jewish dish is so popular across brunch menus everywhere: they’re decadent but delicate, creamy yet balanced. Yes, there is a good amount of dairy in here from both cream cheese and ricotta cheese, but that’s exactly what makes them so satisfying. Traditionally served on Shauvot, also known as the Feast of Weeks, blintzes—along with cheesecakes and other recipes that prominently feature dairy, like quiches—are a usual part of the celebration’s featured foods. The secret ingredient that elevates this particular blintz is nutmeg: It makes the cream taste richer without being too fatty, and tames the tartness of the fruit as well. To get the right consistency for your filling, drain your ricotta overnight in a fine-mesh sieve to eliminate excess moisture. If you’ve made this recipe, please drop a comment down below and let us know how you liked it!
