Easy French Food and Recipes

Basic Crepe Recipe

For Breakfast, Dessert or Savory Crepes

Here is a basic crepe recipe that I use all of the time. By changing the batter ingredients just sightly, this recipe can be used to make breakfast, dessert and even savory crepes. All you need to do is decide on a filling!

Crepe Making Tips

crepe recipe

Making crepes is very, very easy once you get a feel for it. Follow these tips using the crepe recipe below. For an even more thorough look at the subject see this article on how to make crepes.

Make ahead. Make the batter and let it sit for an hour or so. Then stir it again and add a bit more milk if you think it needs it.

Flavor. You can flavor the batter as you wish. Vanilla or rum are often used. You might also like orange flower water.

Equipment. Use a non-stick pan and heat it well before adding any batter. You might like to invest in special a crepe pan. These are ten inches in diameter and have low sides. Or go all the way and buy an electric crepe maker.

Heat. I like to cook them on medium high heat. This gets them done quickly but avoids burning. How much heat you use depends upon your rhythm.

Butter. You might want to use a small amount of butter to cook each one for added flavor. I cut up several tablespoons of butter into small pieces and use one piece for each crepe I cook. Place it in the hot pan, and as it sizzles, use a paper towel to coat the bottom of the pan evenly. However, if you are using a good non-stick pan with my crepe recipe and the right heat, you shouldn't need anything to keep the batter from sticking.

Ladle. Use a ladle to pour the batter into the pan and swirl the pan with the other hand. You'll learn as you go how far to fill up the ladle so that the batter just covers the bottom of the pan.

Cooking. Wait until the batter has nearly cooked through before flipping - this will save you considerable mess from flying batter. The second side only needs to cook for 15 seconds or so.

Stacking. If you stack the crepes as you go and eat them right after you finish cooking the last one, they will stay warm enough.

To roll or to fold, that is the question. Some people roll their crepes up after spreading their favorite filling, others fold in half, then quarters, then eighths. Some people can even get passionate about their preferred method. At the very least it can make for some lively discussions.

Basic Crepe Recipe

Here is a basic crepe recipe that works well with sweet fillings. Multiply it by the number of people you want to fill up less one. For example if you want enough for five people, multiply the recipe by four. I like to use an electric whisk to make the batter.

For savory crepes, all you need to do is leave out the sugar and vanilla.

Makes about 5 10-inch crepes

Ingredients

  • 1 large egg
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon oil

Directions

  1. Whisk the egg with the salt. Pour the flour on top, about half of the milk and all the other ingredients. As you whisk the batter, add in the rest of the milk. Continue whisking until all is blended and smooth.
  2. At this point you have to decide if you should add more milk. The batter should be pourable but not too liquid. It's a feeling thing. You'll get it.
  3. Allow the batter to sit for an hour.
  4. Follow the tips above for cooking the crepes.

Crepe Fillings

There are fancier recipes, but you can keep it simple by letting everyone add whatever they wish. I usually load the table up with choices. That adds to the fun!

  • Nutella
  • Jams: try raspberry or good old strawberry
  • Sugar: brown, white, powdered
  • Butter
  • Chestnut puree
  • Crème fraîche
  • Whipped cream
  • Fresh fruit: strawberries, bananas, peaches, apricots, nectarines, blueberries . . . I could go on.

Crepes for Breakfast

Sunday morning chez nous

We frequently have a crepe feast for Sunday morning breakfast. With a little organization, I can make two dozen crepes in less than 40 minutes.

As soon as I wake up in the morning, I mix up the batter (using the crepe recipe above) and let it sit a bit. To cook the crepes, I use two pans and set the table, chop fruit, and get out our favorite spreads as I'm cooking.

Pour the batter, swirl a pan, chop a banana, flip a crepe, get out the glasses, etc. It's actually fun to get a sort of rhythm going. Of course, this works fine until your kid comes up and wants to flip a few himself. Then the rhythm changes.

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