Naleśniki-what are Polish crêpes?
Enjoyed savory or sweet, thin crêpe pancakes known as naleśniki in Poland are a delightful addition to any dinner or dessert menu. These pillowy soft crepes are usually filled with a sweet cheese filling and pan cooked until they are golden brown. However, the cheese filling traditionally used in Poland is hard to come by in the US. While some of you living near a Polish grocery store might be lucky enough to find the ser or cheese necessary, I’ve found a version of the sweet cheese filling that may even surpass that of the original. Using a mix of both cream cheese and sour cream and lightly sweetened with sugar, my sweet cheese filling only uses basic grocery store staples and comes together in no time.
Enjoy these crêpes on their own or (and I HIGHLY recommend this step), pan cook them until they get a nice golden brown color. Served warm with some powdered sugar, these naleśniki are sure to impress.
Making the crêpe batter
I think it’s safe to say that these seven ingredients are all already in your kitchen. In a pinch, you can omit the sugar or the vanilla extract. What’s really important is that milk to four ratio. We want the batter to be runnier than a pancake batter. This will help to fill the pan quickly so that the crêpes end up being thin. And don’t worry if you’re first crêpe doesn’t turn out too well– the first one is almost always the worst of the bunch in terms of appearance. It will still be delicious, though!
*One more tip: I recommend using a nonstick pan for the crêpes. Oil or butter the pan at the beginning and it should last you the entire batch.
Making the sweet cream cheese filling
Like the batter, the filling of this recipe requires no special ingredients. While you can make the filling just with cream cheese, I highly recommend adding the sour cream to achieve that tangy flavor that you get in traditional ser or cheese used in Polish crêpes.
Assembling the crêpes
Once you’re finished making the crêpes and the filling, it’s time to spread the cheese mixture onto each crêpe. How much of the filling is placed on each crêpe can vary depending on personal preference. I aim for 1-2 tbsp of filling per crêpe so that there’s enough filling that you can taste it once done but not so much that the crepe is overfilled after cooking.
Once you’re done spreading the filling, fold each crêpe into four parts.
The crêpes themselves can be stacked and wrapped in plastic and kept in the fridge for a few days.
Polish crêpes (naleśniki)
Equipment
- Pan
- Hand mixer ( for the filling– it's easier to mix with a handheld mixer)
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 1tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cup milk (full, reduced fat or skim)
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp oil (vegetable or olive) plus more for the pan
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
Sweet Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese I use Philadelphia
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp sugar you can adjust for your taste, 4 tbsp would make the filling sweeter
Instructions
- Whisk all batter ingredients together in a medium bowl. The texture should be much runnier than a pancake.
- Heat a pan to medium-high heat and pour 1 tsp of vegetable oil. I like to take a small piece of paper towel and smear the oil around the bottom of the pan (but be sure to be careful not to burn yourself!).
- To check and see if the pan is hot enough, dip your fingers in some water and flick it onto the pan. If you hear a sizzle then she's ready to go. Pour in 1/3 cup of batter into the pan, swirling at the same time to make sure the batter covers all of the bottom of the pan
- ** don't worry if they're not perfect. They will taste just as delicious if they're misshapen!
- Wait until none of the batter looks wet and you start to see the edges curl up a bit. Flip it over with a wide spatula and cover for an additional minute or so.
- Place finished crêpe on a plate and proceed with the remaining crêpes.
Filling Preparation
- While the crêpes are frying, get started on the filling by placing all ingredients into a medium bowl.
- Using a a handheld mixer, combine all ingredients until they are incorporated and fluffy (around 2 minutes).
- Taste the mixture to see if the desired level of sweetness has been achieved. Feel free to add more sugar if the mixture is not sweet enough.
- Using a small offset spatula or a knife, heap 1-2 tbsp of the cream cheese mixture onto each crepe. Spread into a thin layer and either roll up the crêpe like a cigar or fold into four parts (my preference).
- Take the same pan used for the crêpes and crank it up to medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of oil.
- Working in fours, add one folded crêpe in each corner of the pan. Cook them until they get a golden brown color on the underside. Depending on your pan/heat, this will take about 2-3 minutes. Keep watch so that they don't burn. I often take a fork or spatula and peek underneath a corner of one crêpe to see if they're golden brown enough. Flip each crêpe so that the other side can also get golden brown (1-2 mins.)
- Enjoy them warm as they are, or sprinkle some powdered sugar on top with some berries.