Crepe recipe

[Mistral]

Anyone have an outstanding crepe recipe?

What shall I do with the crepes when they are made?

[DpBluSea]

I make crepes often. I don't have a crepe pan, but use an old Le Creuset skillet that's dedicated to crepes. I use a little butter in the pan for the first crepe, my test crepe...the one crepe that always sticks, I usually have to thin the batter a little with more milk, taste the test crepe, but after that, I don't even have to add any butter to the pan. Since there is butter in the batter, they don't stick. I've found it is very important to let the batter sit a few hours (or overnight) prior to cooking the crepes, the batter resting time seems to help my crepes be thinner and more delicate. If you want them very uniform, scoop the batter into your pan using the same large spoon or measure for each crepe. I rotate the pan quickly, evenly coating the pan with batter for uniform thickness.

I also make crepes ahead for parties (since they are easy, but time consuming to cook) I just stack 12 cooled crepes together, wrap very well, then freeze. They don't stick together, and used within 2 weeks don't seem to lose any quality. Thaw thoroughly before unwrapping frozen crepes.

Here is a crepe batter recipe that works for just about anything I want to fill it with:

3 cups whole milk
6 large eggs (fresh eggs make a difference!)
3 tablespoons sugar (omit this if making savory crepes)
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (omit this if making savory crepes)
2 cups all-purpose flour

Blend all ingredients, adding the flour last (I use a blender but you can use a whisk)). Refrigerate crepe batter for at least 8 hours or overnight. Cook and fill your crepes.

Crepes are great to serve any time of day. If you are serving dessert crepes, it's fun to flame them! Fill and dress your crepes on the plate (crepes may be topped with fruit, preserves, marmalade, etc) Heat the liquor of your choice gently to just UNDER boiling (if it boils, it will not flame!) in a small saucepan, remove from heat, place your plated crepes on the table, bring saucepan to the table with warm liquor (Grand Mariner is a good one for this, but you can also use other higher proof liquors, rum, brandy, whiskey, etc), light the warm liquor on fire in the small saucepan (use a long match or stick lighter), and (working quickly, but steady) with your saucepan very close to the plate (avoid splashing), tip and gently pour the flaming liquor from the saucepan over your plated crepes. The flaming is great for effect, but also lends a great touch to the taste and texture of your finished crepes.

[Antilope]

I've made these. They are easy to make and really good.

**** Paraphrased Recipes ****

Cook's Illustrated Sweet Crepes

Published March 1, 1997.

2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons water
1 cup bleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted, plus extra for brushing pan

1. Mix all ingredients in blender or food processor until batter is
smooth, 3 or 4 seconds. Place in covered container in the fridge for
at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

2. When ready to use, gently stir batter if ingredients have separated.
Cook 2-1/2 tablespoons at a time. You can use a 1/4 cup measuring cup
filled just past half full.

=====================================================================

Cook's Illustrated Savory Crepes

Published March 1, 1997.

2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons water
1 cup bleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted, plus extra for brushing pan

1. Mix all ingredients in blender or food processor until batter is
smooth, 3 or 4 seconds. Place in covered container in the fridge for
at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

2. When ready to use, gently stir batter if ingredients have separated.
Cook 2-1/2 tablespoons at a time. You can use a 1/4 cup measuring cup
filled just past half full.

[missylrn]

No fail recipe http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...
I just use 2 small nonstick pans to make the process faster.
I love nutella and bananas or strawberries with whipped cream.

[souschef]

Crepes Suzette without the booze for breakfast. Lots of OJ and a bit of butter and sugar.

[Mistral]

I am off to breakfast !!

[nemo]

I usually make crepes using plain seltzer water instead of milk. I've seen some recipes using beer as the leavener. Savory crepes are great for lunch or brunch or a potluck dish. Add cooked, chopped, squeezed spinach to the batter and fill with shrimp or crab salad. Curry crepes filled with creamy chicken and peas or cauliflower and spinach. Chive crepes with a smoked salmon cream (for these you might want to fold the crepe in half, make a cone shape, and pipe in the filling).

You can do the quarter fold for individual plating, or roll, put in a casserole dish, sauce a little more on top, heat in the oven.

[madisoneats]

I also do the quarter fold with extra sauce-- it just looks nicer! (unless it's for the kids who insist on the jelly roll look)

[paulj]

I read someplace that in France, folding is for sweet crepes, and rolling for savory fillings.

[Caitlin McGrath]

That wasn't my experience. At restaurants and creperies in France, both savory (which are always buckwheat) and sweet were folded. Didn't see any rolled.

[madisoneats]

I like the blender crepe recipe-- you can find it on cooks.com
I think the most important part is letting the batter rest in the fridge for 2-4 hours

Do you want sweet or savory?

[Mistral]

Found that recipe. Looks good!

I see you can use crepes for Cannelloni.

What else can we do with them? How about apple and cream??

[greygarious]

Anything you want, as long as it's not too liquid. Bananas heated with apricot jam or brown sugar are nice, with whipped cream and/or caramel on top. Any cooked fruit, really, or preserves. For savory purposes, the same fillings as omelets. Creamed chicken and seafood newburg are classics. Ratatouille with cheese. Creamed anything...chipped beef, chicken livers, stroganoff.....

[rchlst]

mmmm crepes!!!

I just put tons of sugar on mine. There's something so good about the somewhat crunchy sugar granuales, and the melted sugar dripping off the crepes!

I've got a recipe at home... i'll try to rememeber to login when i get home and post it.

I don't use a crepe pan... i just pour a few drops in a non-stick pan, swirl the pan around to make it really thin and there you go! After a few seconds the edges brown and you can almost flip them with just your hands. (that's what i do anyway)...

I wonder though - can you make crepes in a stainless steel pan?

[greygarious]

Yes you can, child. Nonsticks weren't invented during my youth, and mom made them every Sunday in a stainless pan. I think she didn't use the cast iron one because it was permeated with bacon flavor from decades of bacon and egg breakfasts.

[eight_inch_pestle]

Just made my first batch of crepes ever, and our little 8-inch stainless steel skillet (All-Clad) worked brilliantly. Swirled a little dab of butter around before making the first crepe, and never needed any more.

[bon oeuf]

My favorite way to enjoy crepes is to bring them to the table with butter and loads of lemon wedges. Powdered sugar optional. Couldn't be any easier and it's absolutely delicious.

[Mistral]

Do I need a flat crepe pan?

[bon oeuf]

I'm sure it would be nice but I don't have one and make them fairly often. I just use a smallish non-stick skillet. Let us know what you do!

[Mistral]

Thanks for the info! Odd but I have never made these..

[paulj]

I certainly like my French carbon steel crepe pan. The low edges make it easy to slide a spatula under to turn them. I like to use a long narrow offset spatula. But I have made them in other pans.

Professionals use dedicated crepe griddles, and spread the batter with a little T shaped stick.

[Antilope]

I agree with the carbon steel pan and the offset spatula. You can get a carbon steel crepe pan for about $ 25.00. Seasoning takes about 20 minutes.

[paulj]

I don't think there many variations in the basic crepe batter - eggs, flour, milk, pinch of salt.

No sugar if using a savory filling, a bit of sugar for sweet. And buckwheat flour is used for savory Breton crepes.

You can also make a crepe like bread with chickpea flour. In southern France and Italy these are flavored with olive oil and blackpepper.