Instructions: To make the Creme Patissiere: In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a boil over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a small bowl. Add flour, and mix until smooth and free of lumps. Thin egg-yolk mixture with approximately 1/4 cup of warm milk. When remaining milk begins to boil, add it to egg-yolk mixture, and stir well. Return to saucepan, and place over high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until pastry cream thickens and boils, about 1 minute. (Turning the pan as you whisk helps to easily reach all areas of pan.) Reduce heat to medium, and cook, whisking constantly, until cream becomes shiny and easier to stir, about 2 minutes more. Pour into a bowl, and stir in vanilla. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming, and allow to cool. (Makes 1 1/4 cups)

To make the Sauce Au Chocolat: Coarsely chop chocolate. In a small saucepan, melt chocolate with 1/2 cup water over medium heat, about 2 minutes. When mixture comes to a boil, whisk gently until smooth. Continue whisking while sauce gently boils for 1 minute. If sauce is too thin, cook it longer. If it is too thick, add more liquid, and return to a boil. You may need to add as much as another 1/4 cup water to reach the desired consistency. For a thick sauce - to use hot as an ice-cream topping or at room temperature as a coating for cream puffs and eclairs - use only 1/4 cup water. Remove from heat, and allow to cool to room temperature. (Makes 3/4 cup)

To make the Creme Anglaise: In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring milk and sugar to a simmer over medium-high heat. Place egg yolks in a bowl. Slowly add the hot milk, whisking constantly. Return to the saucepan, and whisk rapidly over medium heat for several seconds. Do not boil. Remove from heat. The sauce should have thickened enough to lightly coat a spoon. If the sauce is too thin, return the pan to the heat, and whisk several seconds more. The whole process should take less than 10 seconds. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, and stir in vanilla. Serve either hot or cold. If serving cold, cover surface with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. The sauce will be slightly thicker when cold. (Makes 1 1/2 cups)

To make the crepes: Place the flour in a bowl, and add the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and 1/2 cup of the milk. Whisk slowly until a smooth batter forms. Add remaining 1 cup milk, and whisk to combine. Cover, and refrigerate batter for 30 minutes or overnight. Just before using, whisk in melted butter. The batter can also be prepared in a blender: Place the ingredients in the jar of a blender, then turn it on and off quickly. Scrape down flour from sides, and blend again until smooth.

Heat a 6-inch crepe pan, either well-seasoned or with a nonstick surface, over medium heat. The pan is ready when a drop of water dances on the hot surface. Hold pan in one hand, tilting it slightly. Using a small ladle, pour about 2 tablespoons batter into pan where sides and bottom meet. Turn pan in a circular motion to spread batter evenly. The amount of batter used should just coat bottom of pan. Any excess should be poured back into bowl.

Cook the crepe until edges begin to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip, and cook 10 to 15 seconds more. Slide onto a plate. The surface of the crepe should be medium brown in color. (If, after cooking two crepes, the color is too dark or too light, adjust heat accordingly. At the same point, if the crepes are too thick, thin batter with milk.) Repeat with remaining batter, stacking crepes on top of one another until all the batter is used. Allow crepes to cool.

To make lemon-zest strips: Using a channel knife and working from top to bottom, remove long strips from lemons. Try to keep the strips as intact as possible to yield about three 4-inch-long strips from each lemon. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add lemon strips, and blanch for 30 seconds. Remove, and pat dry.

To make the purses: Place a crepe on a clean work surface. Fill with about 1 tablespoon creme patissiere. Gather edges of crepe up and around filling, creating a "beggars purse." Tie purse closed with lemon-zest strip. Repeat with remaining crepes, creme patissiere, and lemon zest strips. If desired, reserve a few crepes to fill with berries when plating.

To serve, arrange purses on plates. Decorate plates with sauce au chocolate, raspberry coulis, or creme anglaise, if desired, and berries. An unfilled crepe, if using, can be folded and filled with diced berries.

This recipe yields 16 to 24 six-inch crepes.

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