Julia Child's Boozy Secret To The Best Fruity Crepe Filling

Does anyone do it like Julia Child? I doubt she needs an introduction, but just in case you're not in the know, she's a storied chef who helped make cooking more accessible to the average American. She was a veritable pioneer in the fields of televised cooking, considering she was one of the first to have a cooking show broadcast to a wider audience. Among her many gems of cooking advice and recipes, you can find plenty of French-inspired dishes, since that was a central point of her cooking career. Today we'll take a look at Child's fruit crepes recipe, which she shared in her cookbook, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," and the liquor that makes it so special.

Crepes are, in and of themselves, a pretty tricky food to prepare. People spend hours in the kitchen working on their crepe tips and tricks, trying to nail the recipe to perfection. Child has plenty of advice on how to get a buttery, soft, thin crepe with a perfect crispness on the edges, but she also teaches about the joys of alcohol-based fruit marinades. According to her, you should take the fruit you intend to fill your crepe with and soak it in a mixture of sugar and either kirsch, cognac, or orange liqueur for an hour. Only after giving the flavors time to meld should you use them as a filling.

Why go through these extra steps to make alcohol-infused fruits for your crepe filling? The answer lies in the flavor profile and balance of the crepe and fruit. Crepes, when eaten alone, are actually a relatively mild-tasting dessert. The batter isn't enormously sweet or decadent, and it can actually lean savory with how much butter and how little sugar is in it. You can really go ham when you're deciding what to fill and top it with, an art that Japan has certainly nailed. Fresh fruits alone are tasty, but adding the sweetness and bite of a sugar and alcohol syrup provides an excellent contrast to the mellow flavors of the crepe itself.

Kirsch, orange liqueur, and cognac are the best choices for their own fruity notes. They pair well with whatever fruit you choose for your filling (strawberries and bananas are super popular) and bring dimension to the alcohol, which by itself can be a little flat. You only want to add a sprinkle of liquor to the fruits, though. Too much, and your eyes will be watering. You can leave the fruit alone if you want a more traditional crepe, or heap in some whipped cream to make it decadent. Crepes are a versatile dessert, and Child was one for kitchen creativity, so don't be afraid to give some unique fruit and liquor combos a try. You may just find your new favorite dessert among them.