It’s officially the holiday season and the end of 2021, and whew, we made it through the year. So here’s my version of a sweet breakfast fit for the holidays!
I had an extra box of Mochiko flour in my pantry, and decided now was the time to make something with it. I’ve used this crepe recipe for years now, so I decided to try making it with Mochiko flour instead of all purpose flour. It turned out so tasty I had to share it!
Mochiko flour is a popular type of sweet rice flour. Baked goods made with sweet rice flour have a soft and chewy texture. If you’ve had mochi before, you know what I’m talking about! These crepes are thin and have a slight crisp to them, so they’re not too chewy but still soft with that unique mochi texture.
Persimmons are a seasonal fruit frequently seen in Southern California in the winter time. They have a firm flesh and a subtle honey sweet flavor. The persimmons used in this recipe are the fuyu variety, which can be eaten when firm and crunchy and with the skin. In traditional Chinese medicine, persimmons are considered sweet and cold, and work to moisten the Lungs and generate fluids to help with dry cough, thirst and dry mouth. Persimmons are also a good source of fiber, potassium and beta-carotene.
This dish is a great combo of
Soft and chewy mochi crepes
Sweet persimmons with a touch of cinnamon
A sweet and festive breakfast or dessert, and it’s gluten free!
Ingredients
Serves 2-3 (about 6 medium sized crepes)
4 persimmons, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup Mochiko flour
2 eggs
½ cup milk – nut, oat, or dairy
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Honey for drizzling (optional)
Directions
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium to large sized skillet on the stove over medium high heat. Add the chopped persimmons and cinnamon, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.
To make the crepes, mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl – the flour and salt – and set aside. In a second bowl, combine the wet ingredients – the eggs, milk, water and melted butter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine and form a thin batter.
Heat a lightly buttered skillet over medium heat. Pour approximately ¼ cup of batter per crepe. Tilt the pan in a circular motion so the batter covers the surface of the pan evenly in a thin layer. I used a 10 inch skillet and that made about 6 thin crepes.
Cook the crepe on one side for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown and the sides start to look cooked. Flip the crepe with a spatula and cook for another 1-2 minutes until browned on both sides.
To serve, put 3 crepes on a plate and top with half of the persimmons. For extra sweetness, drizzle a little honey over the top.
References
Bensky, D., Clavey, S., Stoger, E., & Gamble, A. (2004). Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd Edition. Seattle, WA: Eastland Press, Inc.
Pitchford, Paul. (2002). Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition, 3rd Edition. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
Wang, Y., Sheir, W., & Ono, M. (2010). Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen: Recipes from the East for Health, Healing, and Long Life. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press.