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Apostle's Fingers (lemon and ricotta filled crepes)

by:
June 19, 2014
5
2 Ratings
Apostle's Fingers (lemon and ricotta filled crepes)
  • Makes 8 to 10 crêpes
Author Notes

One of Puglia's best-loved desserts, these “Apostle's fingers” were traditionally made for winter's Carnival, but they are so good you'll want to eat them year-round. (The origins of this unusual and not entirely appealing name is still a mystery.) At its most basic, this refreshing dessert of crêpes with a sweet, lemony ricotta filling, are simply dusted with cinnamon. For those who like their sweets boozy, some limoncello or, even better, a dark, herby amaro, goes very well splashed right over the crêpes.

The delicate, slightly sweet, lemon and ricotta filling is wonderfully adaptable, with a number of traditional variations that change from kitchen to kitchen. Candied orange pieces are a classic addition. Dark chocolate, chopped or in chips, is another popular addition to the ricotta filling (a little reminiscent of Sicilian cannoli), and is almost always accompanied by a splash of some liqueur such as Borsci San Marzano, a Pugliese amaro that dates back to 1840. (Limoncello is also commonly used for this and probably easier to find too.) Almonds, toasted and then finely chopped, might replace the candied orange pieces. In Brindisi, the ricotta is flavored with coffee powder and plump, dark, liqueur-soaked cherries for a more decadent version.

Whatever you add to the filling, the important thing to keep in mind is to drain the ricotta overnight before using it for the filling. This gives you a firmer filling to work with, one that will hold its shape when rolled up in the crepes rather than oozing out.

In the most traditional recipes, the “crêpes” are made solely with eggs (sometimes just the yolks, or even just the whites) and a touch of salt, simply lightly beaten together -- a frittatina, or little frittata, if you will, which makes for a nice, naturally gluten-free option. They have to be made extremely thin -- Pugliese nonnas in the know will tell you that one egg should produce three crêpes, meaning each frittatina should be so thin you can practically see through them.

If you're going the boozy crêpe way, try dousing them with liqueur a few hours before you serve them, letting them soak up the liquid well. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon. —Emiko

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the crêpes:
  • 1 3/4 cups (220 grams) flour
  • 3 tablespoons (20 grams) of confectioner's sugar
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups (500 milliliters) milk
  • Zest of 1 lemon or orange
  • Butter, for greasing
  • For the filling and assembly:
  • 3 cups (750 grams) fresh ricotta
  • 3/4 cup (150 grams) fine sugar
  • Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
  • 1/4 cup 60 milliliters of liqueur, such as limoncello or Borsci San Marzano (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Directions
  1. For the crêpes:
  2. For the crêpes, combine the flour and powdered sugar in a bowl. Add the eggs and mix with the dry ingredients, then add the milk, bit by bit, to obtain a creamy consistency. Add the lemon zest. Heat a flat pan over medium-high heat and grease it with some butter. Pour over a ladle of batter and tip the pan to cover the surface with a very thin layer of batter to make paper-thin crepes. Cook the crepes until the top looks dry, then flip over briefly and set to the side on a plate. Continue making crepes until batter is finished.
  1. For the filling and assembly:
  2. For the filling, leave the ricotta to drain overnight -- spoon the ricotta into a muslin cloth (or a clean linen tea towel) set in a strainer over a bowl in the fridge. The next day, discard the leftover liquid and combine the firmed ricotta, sugar, lemon zest and juice (and if desired, one of the additions mentioned in the notes, like a handful of candied orange peel or chopped dark chocolate).
  3. With the help of two teaspoons, spoon the filling, about an inch wide, across the centre of a crêpe. Roll it up tightly and cut the roll into three even pieces. Continue with the rest of the crepes and filling. Serve the crêpes with a splash of liqueur, if desired, and a dusting of powdered sugar and cinnamon.
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10 Reviews

Kathy
Kathy July 14, 2015
Would it be ok to add a few fresh berries pressed into the filling just before you roll them? Raspberries or blackberries or blueberries? These sound heavenly!
 
csegher
csegher May 16, 2015
I made these as written last weekend. My absolute favorite recipe for crepes, mostly in part because of the lemon zest in the batter. It gives these crepes something special, something extra. Kind of a brightness like lemon zest does where ever it's used. I made the cream as well, fantastic, and served it separately on a buffet with other fillings. FYI didn't find much difference in crepe texture with confectioners vs granulated sugar. Made both, both vanished equally but we're equally tender.
 
Anthony G.
Anthony G. August 5, 2014
I very rarely comment on food posts, but I felt the need to do so for this particular recipe. I've never made crepes before, and admittedly, they've always intimidated me a bit. So when I first saw this recipe, I put it on the 'back burner' to attempt when I was feeling especially daring. Well, today was the day that I felt especially daring!

This is an absolutely delicious recipe that deviates so beautifully from desserts that are often overridden with excessive sugar and processed ingredients. This dessert is so light, fresh, and unique that it will become a staple in my dessert cookbook forever.

Of course, after making the recipe as-is, I have added my own unique cooking perspective to the dish. Regardless though, you have helped me overcome my fear of crepes, and you have also helped me discover a whole new type of dessert that connects me to my Italian heritage. Thank you!

 
Emiko
Emiko August 8, 2014
You have no idea how much your comment made my day. It is a dream to get a response like this and is inspiration for continuing searching for fabulous recipes to share on the column. Thanks and happy cooking!
 
pete
pete July 30, 2014
dip ends in ground walnuts
 
Donna Y.
Donna Y. July 6, 2014
These sound amazing! Can't wait to give them a try!
 
Tracy E.
Tracy E. June 30, 2014
I can't wait to make these!
 
Rachael
Rachael June 25, 2014
These sound amazing! How far in advance of serving can you make them?
 
Emiko
Emiko June 25, 2014
You can prepare both the filling and the crepes earlier, even the day before (and the ricotta should always be drained the night before too), but once you roll them with the filling, they're best served within a few hours (kept in the fridge of course).
 
Rachael
Rachael June 29, 2014
Thank Emiko! I made them last night and they were amazing! I added some dark chocolate, as suggested, and loved them. It was honestly a challenge to not eat all the filling before getting it in the crepes.