What to do with JBG butternut squash? That is the question for this post. We started up our weekly CSA box again for the fall here in Austin and I'm sitting on a bunch of Butternut squash. So what to make, soup? no its too hot outside. Risotto? don't feel like it. Butternut Variations ? a lot of work. Modern Ravioli? nope. Here's what I decided on. Crepe Cake, simple enough. Make a bunch of crepes, layer them with white chocolate ganache and serve it. Easy right? Actually it is. Well of course I added a few more components that could easily have been left out but part of this recipe comes from my wife and here love of lime. We roast the butternut squash and ate it with a squeeze of lime and salt, and it was delicious! So that was one part of the flavor profile I was going for along with white chocolate, which is hard to go wrong with. Combine all of these things together and you pretty much have a basic flavor profile of this dish. Add in a few spices and other ingredients to round everything out, and you are done. You're left with a delicious and simple dessert that can be made ahead of time. Here is the recipe I hope you enjoy it!
Butternut Squash Crepe
2 cups of milk
1 cup of roasted butternut squash
2 eggs
1 cup of flour
2 tsp of vanilla
1 tsp of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp of salt
4 tbsp of sugar
White Chocolate Ganache
1 pint of cream plus 2 tbsp
11 oz of white chocolate
1/4 cup of powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp of gelatin powdered
Lime Gelee
1 cup of lime juice (approx. 5-6 limes)
zest from 1 lime
1 cup of water plus 2 tbsp
2 tsp of gelatin
1/3 cup of sugar
pinch of salt
Butternut Squash sauce
1/2 cup of roasted butternut squash
3/4 cup of simple syrup
Cinnamon and basil to garnish
Olive oil, star anise, cinnamon stick, clove
For the roasted butternut squash, Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Simple cut 2-3 butternuts squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard or save for another application. On a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, drizzle butternut with olive oil, season with salt. Add a few pieces of clove and star anise to a few cavities of the squashes, along with 2 cinnamon sticks. Flip the butternut squash over and roast for an hour or until they are tender all the way through. Take out and let them come to room temperature
For the butternut squash crepes.
Place all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and blend with a hand immersion blender (alternatively just place in a blender and puree until smooth). Strain the mixture if desired and adjust seasoning if need be. Then in a crepe pan or small sauté pan on medium high heat add a touch of butter and then ladle the mixture into the pan and evenly distribute the batter by moving the pan in a clockwise motion. Cook for 1 minute and then flip and cook for another minute. Continue until all the batter is prepared. Set aside to cool
For the White Chocolate Ganache,
Take 2 tbsp of cream and mix with gelatin to bloom. Then add half of the cream and place in a small pot with all of the white chocolate. Turn on medium low heat and allow the cream to heat up and melt the white chocolate stirring occasionally. When all the chocolate has melted strain through a fine strainer into a bowl. Cool for 10 minutes and then stir in your gelatin. Then place the remainder cream in a stand mixer and whip until they start to thicken. Add your powdered sugar and remain whipping until stiff peaks. Once the white chocolate mixture has come close to room temperature add your whipped cream, incorporating it completely. Then pour onto a sheet pan and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
For the lime gelee,
Add 2 tbsp of water to gelatin to allow to bloom. Place sugar, water, lime juice in a pot and bring up to heat until the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool for 5 minutes at least if the mixture came to a boil. Then add the gelatin to the mixture. Adjust seasoning if need be and pour onto a baking dish. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until set and cold.
For Butternut Squash Sauce,
Place roasted butternut squash and simple syrup in a small bowl and puree with a hand immersion blender. Season with a pinch of salt if need be. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Set aside for later.
To Finish
Take the white chocolate ganache (mousse) out the refrigerator. Take 5-7 crepes and layer a thin amount of ganache onto one crepe. Then add another crepe and repeat the process until you have 5-7 layers. At this point you place in the refrigerator until ready to serve, this will help with cutting it as well. (Alternatively you can cut a desired shape out of the crepe (I did rectangular) and then layer the crepe) Add a little butternut squash puree to the plate. Then take out the lime gelee and cut into little cubes. Add a few to the plate and top with petite basil leaves. Finish with a dash of cinnamon. Serve and enjoy!
