BLACKBERRY-CREAM CHEESE CREPES 8 Blender Crepes (recipe follows) 5 cups fresh blackberries divided 3/4 cup water, divided 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon brandy 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine 1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened 1 teaspoon powdered sugar Prepare Blender Crepes; set aside.

Combine 1 cup blackberries and 1/2 cup water in a blender. Process about 1 minute or until smooth. Strain blackberry mixture through a sieve.

Combine blackberry purée, 1/4 cup water, granulated sugar, lemon juice, brandy, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in butter.

Spread 1 tablespoon cream cheese over each crepe, and top each with 2 teaspoons sauce and 1/4 cup blackberries. Fold each crepe in half, then in quarters. Spoon 2 tablespoons sauce on each of 8 dessert plates; top each with 1 crepe and 1/4 cup blackberries. Sift powdered sugar evenly over crepes.

Serves 8.

BLENDER CREPES

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup fat-free milk
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 large egg
Cooking spray

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, milk, sugar, and egg in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Pour batter into bowl, cover and chill 30 minutes.

Place an 8-inch crepe pan or nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat until hot. Remove pan from heat. Pour a scant 1/4 cup batter into pan; quickly tilt pan in all directions so batter covers pan with a thin film. Cook about 1 minute.

Carefully lift edge of crepe with a spatula to test for doneness. The crepe is ready to turn when it can be shaken loose from the pan and the underside is lightly browned. Turn crepe over; cook 10 seconds on other side. 

Place crepe on towel; cool. Repeat procedure until all batter is used, stirring batter between crepes. Stack crepes between layers of wax paper or paper towels to prevent sticking.

Makes 8 crepes.

NOTE: Coat pan with cooking spray only as needed while cooking the crepes. To make ahead, layer crepes between sheets of wax paper, and store in a zip-top bag in refrigerator.

1 Serving - 1 crêpe: Calories: 55 (Cal. from fat: 13%), Fat: 0.8g (Saturated: 0.2g), Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 20mg, Carbohydrate: 9g, Protein: 2.6g.

[Cooking Light, June 2000]