Cheese blintzes

Crepes

3 eggs
625 ml (2½ cups) water
225 g (1½ cups) plain flour
pinch of salt
½ teaspoon baking powder

Cream cheese filling
2 eggs
500 g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons caster sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons sour cream, or as needed
300 ml pure cream (35% fat)

Method

To make the crepes, beat the eggs and water together. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together, then add to the egg mixture and beat until smooth. The batter needs to be of a thin pouring consistency; if necessary add more water. Allow the batter to rest while you make the filling.

To make the filling, beat together the eggs, cream cheese and sugar. Beat in the sour cream (enough to make a smooth paste). Taste for sugar and add more if needed. It should be just sweet.

To cook the crepes, heat a non-stick crepe pan or 20 cm frying pan and grease lightly. Pour enough batter into the pan to thinly coat the base, swirling the pan so the batter spreads to the edge, and tip off any excess. Cook the crepe on one side only until it is dry, comes away from the side of the pan and is very lightly coloured. Tip out onto a paper towel, with the uncooked side facing downwards - this will be the inside of the blintz. Continue with the rest of the batter, piling the crepes on top of each other. Repeat to make 18-20 crepes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease a large baking dish.

To assemble the blintzes, place a crepe on the work surface, uncooked side upwards. Put 1-2 tablespoons of cream cheese filling in the centre. Fold one side over and then the other to form a roll. Fold one end over onto the top and the other end underneath, to form a square parcel. Place the blintzes in the dish, snugly, side by side. Pour the cream over so there is about 7-8 mm of cream in the bottom of the dish. You may need some extra cream depending on the size of your dish. Bake for about 30 minutes, uncovered, or until the blintzes are golden brown and puffed up. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and serve with sour cream on the side if desired. Or with fruit.