HOW TO MAKE CREPES

I know that I have many seasoned cooks, as well as those new to cooking, reading my blog, so I wanted to share this with you.  Crepes intimidate so many cooks, but this is the way to make a perfect crepe, promise!  Also, there is a video tutorial at the end of the post.  ENJOY!

How to Make Crêpes 

by Martha Holmberg

Crêpes are like pancakes, but better. To me, their real appeal comes from their texture: tender but at the same time springy. Unlike a pancake, which becomes soggy under too much butter and syrup, a crêpe holds its delicate integrity whether it’s swimming in syrup, blanketed by cheese, or topped with chocolate sauce and whipped cream.

Crêpes get their distinctive texture from a batter that’s rich in eggs—I use four to make 14 crêpes. Also, there’s no baking powder or baking soda in the batter; crêpes are lightened only by eggs and air, which contributes to their thin, supple texture. Crêpes may be related to pancakes, but there’s definitely no fluffiness to them. 

As for flavor, crêpes are buttery but mild, so they’re an ideal blank canvas, ready to be topped or filled with just about any savory or sweet ingredients. Quick fillings can be as simple as grated cheese; a combination of sugar, melted butter, and lemon juice; or anything from the fridge or pantry that would be tasty on toast or pancakes. Or you can go for more elaborate fillings, as in the hearty Baked Crêpes Cacciatore with Parmesan Cream Sauce, or the decidedly fancy Crêpe Cake with Coffee Cream and Hazelnut Praline.  

Slideshow: Get more creative recipe ideas for sweet and savory crêpe fillings.

Finally, crêpes freeze beautifully. You can make a large batch, pop them in the freezer, and then pull out one or a dozen as you need them. After a quick thaw and reheat, they’re ready to go.

Basic Brown-Butter Crêpes Recipe
Yields about  fourteen 8-inch crêpes

3-1/2 oz. (7 Tbs.) unsalted butter; more softened for the pan
1-3/4 cups whole milk; more as needed
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
6-3/4 oz. (1-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour

Tip: As with pancakes, the first crêpe you make is usually a flop, so count on sacrificing it as you experiment with the heat of the burner and the amount of butter in the pan.

In a 1- to 2-quart saucepan, cook the butter over medium heat, swirling it every few seconds, until melted and the milk solids at the bottom of the pan turn golden-brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Immediately pour the brown butter into a small bowl and let cool almost to room temperature.

Combine the milk, eggs, and salt in a blender. Blend for a few seconds to combine. Add the flour and blend until very smooth, about 20 seconds. Add the brown butter and blend for another 10 seconds.

Pour the batter into a large bowl and let rest for at least 5 minutes and up to 24 hours. (If resting for more than 30 minutes, cover and refrigerate.)

When ready to cook the crêpes, check the batter; it should be as thick as heavy cream, not as thick as pancake batter. If it feels too thick, whisk in up to 1/2 cup more milk.

Heat a crêpe pan with an 8-inch base or a 10-inch nonstick skillet with an 8-inch base over medium-high heat until it’s hot enough for a drop of water to sizzle. Using a folded paper towel, grease the pan with about 1/4 tsp. butter. The butter should sizzle upon contact but not instantly turn brown. If it does, reduce the heat as necessary.

Using a ladle or measuring cup, pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the center of the pan while simultaneously lifting the pan from the heat and tilting and turning it in all directions so the batter spreads evenly across the bottom in a thin circle. If the crêpe has any holes in it, quickly add a few drops of batter to fill them in.

Cook until the edges begin to dry and lift from the sides of the pan and the bottom is nicely browned (lift up an edge with a small silicone spatula or your fingers to check), about 1 minute. Use the spatula or your fingers to flip the crêpe over. Cook until the second side is browned, about 20 seconds more.

Slide the crêpe from the pan onto a large plate or cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining batter, adjusting the heat and spreading more butter in the pan every two or three crêpes, or whenever the pan begins to look a bit dry. You can stack the crêpes on the plate as they’re done; they won’t stick. The crêpes will soften as they cool.

Make Ahead Tips
You can keep crêpes in the refrigerator for up to 3 days by wrapping the stack in plastic, then putting it in a zip-top freezer bag. Bring to room temperature (or reheat) before using.

To freeze crêpes for up to 3 months, lay pieces of waxed paper or parchment between every few so that it’s easy to pry off as many as you need. Wrap the stack in plastic, then slide it into a large zip-top freezer bag. Thaw wrapped frozen crêpes at room temperature until pliable, about an hour.

Serving Suggestions 

• Sugar & Lemon Crêpe: Warm a crêpe in a little butter in a skillet, sprinkle with sugar, and squeeze lemon juice over the top. Roll into a cylinder or fold into a triangle.
• Sautéed Apple Crêpe: Cook a peeled, diced apple in a little butter with a sprinkle of sugar until tender and golden. Roll into a warm crêpe and serve.
• Ham, Cheese & Pear Crêpe: Gently warm a crêpe in a dry skillet, sprinkle with grated Gruyère, and top with good-quality ham and very thin slices of ripe pear. Fold in the sides of the crêpe to make a flat packet and drizzle with a little melted butter.
• Huevos Rancheros: Scramble an egg and arrange it along the lower half of a warm crêpe. Top with grated Monterey Jack or Cheddar, salsa verde, and a sprinkle of chopped fresh cilantro. Roll up and serve with more salsa and sour cream on the side.
• Maple & Crème Fraîche Crêpe: Gently warm a crêpe in a dry skillet, spread with crème fraîche, and drizzle with maple syrup. Fold and eat right away.
• Crêpe Sundae: Roll up a room-temperature crêpe, cut it crosswise into 1/2-inch ribbons, and put them in a bowl. Top with a scoop of ice cream and drizzle with chocolate or caramel sauce or both.
• Mediterranean Wrap: Spread hummus on a room-temperature crêpe, top with crumbled feta and a few slices of roasted red pepper, and roll up.

Reheating Crêpes: If you have only a few crêpes to reheat, warm each one in a dry, hot skillet for 5 to 10 seconds per side. For a bigger batch, put them on a large ovenproof plate, cover with foil, and heat in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes. Or, if you prefer, heat them in the microwave on a plate, covered with a paper towel, for about 30 seconds on medium power. 

Watch the video here!

From Fine Cooking Issue 116

IF YOU MISSED

Robert Couterier ~ A Spring Gathering

Bathroom Beauty

Jane Schwab ~ Designa in South Caroline

Beautiful Things

Suzanne Kasler ~ Design in Atlanta

Thank You Golden White Decor and Room of the Day

Caramel Cake and Room of the Day

The Beauty of a Garden

Matchbook Magazine ~ Spring Issue

Bobby McAlpine ~ Design in Nashville

Favorites ~ Part Duex

Favorites ~ Part One

Fabulous Desks and Stationer Plans

The New American Homestead

Bacon Jack and Jalapeno Quesadillas

Stunning Tablescapes

Living Rooms that Make me Sing!

Lily Pads on 30-A

Exceptional Doors

Resort Resale ~ A Designer's Dream

See you soon,

Teresa

xoxo