Make Dessert Sushi With Crepes And Fresh Fruit

If you enjoy making crepes at home and topping them with fruit, you likely already have the ingredients and skills to make dessert sushi. This easy, fish-free sushi is so simple to make that your whole family or crew of friends can get involved. Crepes act as the "nori sheets," so to speak, as they hold all the fruit fillings inside. You can then roll the crepe up, sushi-style, and cut into bite-sized slices that resemble a maki roll.

There's a great example of these "sushi pancakes" on TikTok, where the idea has been gaining a lot of traction. In one video, Nutella is spread on one side of a crepe, then an entire, unpeeled banana is placed inside along with some chopped hazelnuts. Once rolled and sliced, the pieces are drizzled with chocolate and more nuts. By the end, the whole thing resembles a sushi roll, perfect for dessert or even breakfast. The dish is essentially what you'd be served at a creperie, just in a totally different form.

@ellaroseee__

Pancake Day next week 😋 sushi pancakes 🍌🍫🥞 quick & easy dessert #recipe

♬ original sound – Just brad

By using soft, pliable, and rather neutral-flavored crepes, the fruit and flavoring possibilities are endless for dessert sushi. Look for whatever fruit is in season for the best flavors, and choose something tasty and a little sticky (sweetened cream cheese, nut butters, etc.) for the fruit to adhere to inside the wrap.

Dessert sushi options can go way beyond simply mixing up different fruits and fillings. You can get creative by coloring and flavoring crepes, as well. (Just be sure to make the batter a day ahead of time for better results.) For example, mix in some dark cocoa powder to give it a chocolatey flavor and mimic the color of nori sheets. Using black sesame seed paste will yield an even darker hue and impart a nutty flavor that would be delicious with chocolate, cinnamon, caramel, and vanilla additions.

You can also pulverize freeze-dried fruit to yield powders that would both add flavor and color to crepe batter. Inside pink-colored strawberry crepes you could spread sweetened coconut rice, and top with fresh berries and a drizzle of honey. Or make things even simpler by blending some fresh lemon zest or toasted coconut right into a standard crepe batter for a versatile flavor that would be delicious with any type of fruit filling.

Because sushi is beautiful to behold, your dessert sushi should be, too. Colorful berries, mango, kiwi, pineapple, and melons will make picture-perfect results. If you can get your hands on the Andean fruit cherimoya, you'll be in for an enormous treat. As far as garnishes go, try drizzles of syrups, tiny dollops of freshly whipped cream, and sprinkles of crunchy nuts. And to mimic fish eggs, get a hold of finger limes and place some of the tiny, round sections on top of each slice.

Making crepes is a cinch, but it does sometimes take a few attempts to get them just right — especially if you're making them for the first time. If you'd rather not bother at all, you can always opt for store-bought crepes. And if those aren't available, you can still make dessert sushi without them at all. 

Flour tortillas are an excellent substitution because they are likewise round, thin, flat, and reasonably pliable. Or, consider turning stale bread into fresh crepes with just a few ingredients.

Sheets of fruit leather will work if you want an extra punch of sweetness and a pop of tartness to go with the dish (similar to how sushi rolls can come wrapped in thin sheets of cucumber instead of nori). All you need is steady hand and a sharp knife. For a fresh, not-too-sweet flavor akin to Mexican fruit cups, place thin spears of pineapple, watermelon, mango, and jicama inside cucumber sheets and cut them into slices. Squeeze some lime and sprinkle Tajin on top for a zing of flavor.

Another idea is to forgo a sushi wrapper altogether, and coat a whole, peeled banana with peanut butter and roll the entire thing in crispy rice cereal. When sliced, you'll have banana sushi, complete with a rice exterior. Dip each piece in honey to complete the ensemble.