Chocolate Crepes with Vanilla Caramel Sauce

Life revolves around love. Songs and music are inspired by it, wars are fought, hearts are broken, and hearts are healed, all in the name of love. Love can be shown in so many ways, and I show my love through food. So in the theme of love, since Valentine's Day is right around the corner, I bring you a perfect dessert recipe that will warrant you a hug, and is SO much better than a box of chocolates.

This is not my first attempt at making crepes, I make them pretty often, usually with nutella and some fruit. But I wanted to experiment with CHOCOLATE.  The rich chocolate crepes are perfect for a Valentine's Day (or night) treat! And for those of you who are dazed by how quickly the days are going by, the 14th is next week! 

Crepes are amazing; so versatile. You can make them savory or sweet, mix and match hundreds of fillings and toppings, and eat them as appetizers, main dishes, or dessert. The possibilities are endless! I have been having a huge craving for crepes, so tonight my awesome husband cooked me dinner and I made crepes for dessert :). 

My chocolate crepes are filled with nutella and bananas, drizzled with vanilla caramel sauce, and topped with strawberries and toasted almonds. This is what heaven is. I cannot begin to describe the AMAZING-ness of this dessert! Do yourself a favor and make this for the special person or people in your life. I guarantee that you will be rewarded with ooh's and aah's.

Chocolate Crepe Batter: makes 4 crepes

- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tbs dutch processed cocoa
- 2 tbs granulated sugar
- pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 tbs melted butter
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp pure almond extract
- nutella, sliced bananas, sliced strawberries, powdered sugar, toasted almonds

How-to:

Sift together flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt.  In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, butter, egg yolk, and extracts.

Add flour/cocoa mixture to the liquid and whisk until smooth.

Heat up a skillet until hot. Spray pan with butter or melt 1/2 a tbs of butter. Pour a 1/4 of batter into pan and tilt in order for the batter to spread into a thin large pancake.  Cook for about a 1 1/2 minutes, flip carefully, and cook for another minute.

Spread nutella onto crepe, top nutella with bananas, and fold over crepe. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, top with sliced strawberries, drizzle with vanilla caramel (recipe to follow), and sprinkle with toasted almonds!

Vanilla Caramel Sauce:

- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tbs pure vanilla extract

How-to:

In a small saucepan, melt butter and add sugars, and heavy whipping cream on medium heat. Let this mixture come to a rolling boil for about 5 minutes to thicken up.  Turn off the heat and add vanilla. Top your crepes, or use this sauce on ice cream, fruit, and other desserts!

Valentine's Day is not just for couples, it is for friends, for brothers and sisters, for parents, for pets, and any other important people in your life. So celebrate this day with those who make you feel special and loved! It doesn't have to be a huge production with flowers, candy, and gifts. Cook dinner together. There is nothing like bonding over cooking and enjoying a good meal, or dessert!

Happy eating and happy Valentine's day!