Skip to content

Marquesitas

Mérida's crisp rolled crêpes filled with Edam cheese and cajeta

Evening in Mérida's Plaza Grande means the smell of marquesitas: thin batter pressed in hot hinged irons until crisp, then rolled like a cigar around grated Edam cheese and a sweet filling such as cajeta, chocolate-hazelnut spread or jam. Edam came to the Yucatán through the port trade with the Netherlands and became part of the local cooking, and the salty-sweet combination is the whole point. At home you can cook them in a thin, wide frying pan. Edam is usually made with animal rennet, so check the label or use a vegetarian Gouda-style cheese. Chef's tip: roll while the crêpe is still in the pan and hot; within seconds it hardens and will crack.
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
6
One step at a time, big text, timers, read-aloud. Your screen stays on.

Ingredients

Serves6

For the batter

For the filling

Shop this recipe on Amazon

Fresh ingredients (4)

Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.

Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Whisk 5 ½ oz plain flour, ⅔ oz cornflour, 1 ⅜ oz sugar and ½ tsp baking powder. Whisk in 1 egg, 1 cup milk, 1 oz melted butter and ½ tsp vanilla extract to a smooth batter, slightly thicker than for pancakes. Rest for 10 minutes.

    12 min
  2. Step 2: Heat a 24 cm frying pan over a medium heat and brush with butter. Pour in 4 tablespoons of batter and swirl to cover the base thinly.

    1 min
  3. Step 3: Cook for about 2 minutes, pressing lightly with a spatula, until the underside is golden and the top is dry. Flip and cook 1 minute more, until crisp and deep golden all over.

    3 min
  4. Step 4: Spread a thin line of 5 ½ oz cajeta or dulce de leche across the crêpe, scatter over 2 tablespoons of 4 oz Edam cheese and roll it up at once in the pan. Common mistake: waiting to fill it; the crêpe sets crisp within seconds and splits when you try to roll it.

  5. Step 5: Lift onto a rack and repeat with the rest of the batter. Eat warm, while the outside is crisp.

    14 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
330 kcal
Protein
10 g
Carbs
42 g
Fat
13 g
Fibre
1 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does marquesitas take?
About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
What can I use instead of plain flour?
Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
What can I use instead of cornflour?
Arrowroot or potato starch, same amount.

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.

Rate this recipe

Sign in to rate and review this recipe.

Black bean tacos with lime slaw

Proof that a meat-free taco night can be the best one. The beans are mashed with chipotle and cumin so they hold together in the tortilla, and a quick lime slaw adds crunch.

by KrazyBadal 1 views

Baklava

The famous layered pastry: crisp sheets of buttered fillo sandwich a filling of almonds, pistachios and cashews spiced with cinnamon, cardamom and saffron. After baking, the hot baklava is soaked in a syrup of sugar, honey, lemon, rose and cardamom and decorated with almond and pistachio flakes. Cut into 40 diamonds; serve with fresh cream or ice cream.

by KrazyBadal 1 views

Nacho triangles (tortilla chips)

Home-made tortilla chips from a simple maize and wheat dough, rolled thin, cut into triangles and fried until crisp. They're lighter and fresher than packet chips. Serve them with salsa, sour cream dip or avocado dip, or use them for nachos.

by KrazyBadal 0 views