MEGAN FRANCES LLOYD
// writer

Mother's Day

WHAT TO COOK THIS MOTHER’S DAY

Originally published by Tramontina USA

Not sure what to make for Mother's Day breakfast this year? Avoid the annual dry toast and rubbery eggs, and step up your game with lavender lemon curd crepes. She probably packed your school lunch for a decade, after all.

This lemon curd recipe is delightfully smooth and melts into a crepe like butter. The pucker-your-lips tartness is softened by a floral bouquet of lemon zest and herbal lavender buds that will transport you to the southern French countryside. It’s a recipe you’re sure to make over and over—to fill tarts, spread over homemade scones, or just lick straight off the spoon! If you’re not sure about the lavender, you can simply leave it out.

 Best of all, this crepe recipe requires only a few basic ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen; essentials like milk, eggs, and flour are mixed together to create something far more magical than your generic pancake. Use a 12-inch nonstick  pan to keep those delicately thin crepes from sticking, along with a generous amount of butter for crispy edges. It can take one or two crepes to get the hang of it, but not to worry! You’ll start to see how your stove, pan, and batter work together to give you a golden blanket for any sort of filling.

L A V E N D E R   L E M O N   C U R D

Serves: Makes 2½ cups   |   Prep Time: 10 min   |   Cook Time: 10 min

INGREDIENTS

  • ½ cup lemon juice

  • Lemon zest, from 1 lemon

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 4 eggs

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 6 ounces butter

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon dried lavender

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Before you begin, fill a large mixing bowl halfway with ice and a little bit of water and nestle a smaller mixing bowl in the center, being careful not to let water spill into the smaller bowl. This is called an ice bath.

  2. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium heat, whisking constantly, until butter and sugar melt and eggs are combined. Use spatula to stir continuously to keep mixture from overcooking.

  3. When you see the mixture begin to barely thicken, stick a metal spoon into the pan. The mixture should coat the back of the spoon. Run your finger through the coating and if a line remains in the middle, it is done. If not, continue cooking, repeating the process every couple of minutes until proper consistency is reached.

  4. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into the small, chilled mixing bowl.

  5. Place lavender lemon curd in the refrigerator to chill.

S W E E T   C R E P E S

Recipe adapted from Just & Sarah Kagan

Serves: 6-8   |   Prep Time: 20 min   |   Cook Time: 30 min

INGREDIENTS

  • 1½ cups whole milk

  • 3 eggs

  • 3 Tablespoons sugar

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter (melted), plus more for cooking

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

INSTRUCTIONS 

  1. Preheat oven to its lowest setting or “warm,” generally around 200°F.

  2. Combine milk and eggs in blender on high until foamy. Add sugar and salt to blend on low speed.

  3. Add butter and vanilla on low speed and blend. Finally add flour and blend batter until combined. Place in fridge for 10 minutes.

  4. Heat small nonstick pan over medium heat. Melt butter just until it begins to smoke and pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan, quickly tilting pan to spread a thin layer across the surface. You want just enough batter to cover the pan without going up the sides. Small bubbles will start to form.

  5. Check to see if crepe is lightly browned and then flip to brown other side.

  6. Once cooked (total of 1-3 minutes), keep warm on a covered plate in oven and continue cooking the rest of the crepes, buttering the pan in between each crepe.

Serve your crepes with a dollop of that lavender lemon curd, fresh berries, toasted almonds, or whatever other brilliant ideas that come your way!