This fun recipe was inspired by my friend Chef Eric Greenspan’s Latke Bites with Apple Crème Fraîche, which is one of my favorite non-infused snacks. Although my recipe is quite different from his, his concept of fruit-infused crème fraîche is a wonderful contemporary take on the old-world culinary staple of latkes with applesauce. To make your own crème fraîche, just mix 1 cup whipping cream with 2 tablespoons buttermilk in a glass container. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and let stand at room temperature until very thick (8 to 24 hours). Stir well and then refrigerate. Will keep refrigerated for up to 10 days.

Related: Check out Jeff’s recipes for Freaky Fish Tacos and Potzo Ball Soup.

Servings: 18-24 depending on size
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 12-14 minutes per batch of pancakes
Approximate THC per serving*
10%: 1.9–2.5 mg
15%: 2.8–3.8 mg
20%: 3.8–5.1 mg

For the Canna-pear creme fraiche
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Anjou or Bartlett pears, peeled, sliced, and cored
4 teaspoons raw cane sugar
4 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons canna-butter, plus 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter
Cornstarch slurry (1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon water)
Dash of cinnamon
1 cup crème fraîche

For the Latkes
6 medium Idaho or russet potatoes
1 small onion
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon salt
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon tarragon, chopped
1 teaspoon chives, minced
½ teaspoon baking powder
Light coconut oil or olive oil for frying

Make the Pear creme fraiche

  1. Sprinkle lemon juice over pears.
  2. Melt the cane sugar, brown sugar, and canna-butter mixture in a nonstick skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium-low and add the pears. Cook, gently stirring every 5 to 6 minutes, until pears are tender.
  3. Add the cornstarch slurry and cinnamon and cook 1 to 2 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat. Drain the syrup and set aside to let cool for 15 minutes.
  4. Add 2 tablespoons of the cooled pear sauce to the crème fraîche and whisk until incorporated. Refrigerate while making the potato latkes.

Make the Latkes

  1. Peel the potatoes and onion and grate into a large colander or strainer.
  2. Squeeze out as much water as possible from the potatoes and onion and transfer them to a large bowl. Stir in the eggs. Add the flour, salt, pepper, tarragon, chives, and baking powder, and mix.
  3. Preheat a large frying pan for 1 minute. Add coconut or olive oil and reduce heat to medium.
  4. Using a spoon, drop about ¼-cup dollops of the potato mixture into the pan, flatten, and fry for 6 to 7 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spatula and drain on a plate lined with paper towels or brown paper.
  5. Serve with pear crème fraîche, garnished with candied pears and drizzled with remaining pear sauce.

*Approximate dose per serving is based on infusing 5 grams of cured/dried/decarbed cannabis into 5 ounces of oil.

Jeff recently published 100 cannabis-infused recipes in his cookbook “The 420 Gourmet: The Elevated Art of Cannabis Cuisine.” The book is available now from Harper Wave for $29.99.