Crepes should be very thin. It's easiest to use a non-stick crepe pan. Crepes should be cooked at medium high or high heat, in butter, vegetable oil and butter, or oil to get a deliciously crispy cooked edge.
Heat the oil or butter in the pan before adding the batter, about 1 Tbsp in an 8 or 9 inch pan. After cooking 1 or 2 crepes, you may need to add a little oil again.
I use about 1/3 cup of batter to make a six inch crepe. Pour or ladle a little batter into the centre of the pan and carefully tilt the pan to spread the batter toward the edges.
Cook on one side, when the edges turn a little gold and the crepe looks set with a few "bubbles" in the centre, flip the pancake with the spatula and cook a little more on the other side. It will need to cook more on the first side than the second. If you are making crepes to make cheese blintzes, you don't flip them (see the cheese blintz recipe for instructions.)
2-Egg Crepes
Makes about 6 tender, thin crepes. Recipe is easily doubled.
If the batter doesn't spread thin enough, stir in more milk or water after the first "test" crepe.
Cooked left-overs can be kept in the fridge to roll with a jam filling, sprinkled with icing sugar, for a quick dessert.
Mix batter in a bowl:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 large beaten eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2-3/4 cup water
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil or melted butter
Batter will be thick enough to make a sturdy crepe, using a total of 1 cup liquid (half milk and half water) plus the oil. For thinner, very tender crepes, add extra water (thinner batter will pour easily onto the hot pan.)
Gail's 3- Egg Crepe-like Pancakes
Tender, only slightly puffy pancakes, delicious with butter and maple syrup or preserves.
In a large bowl, sift or just whisk together:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, beat with a small whisk or fork:
- 3 large eggs
- milk
to the cup to make 2 cups beaten egg/milk mixture.
Add the egg/milk mixture to the flour mixture and before you stir, pour in:
- 1/2 cup water
Stir with the whisk to combine.
In a non-stick crepe pan drizzle:
- canola or vegetable oil
When oil is hot, pour (with a ladle) in just enough batter to cover the pan thinly.
Cook on one side till pancake is set and edges are slightly crisp, flip over, cook a minute or less on the other side.
Remove pancake to a plate to serve hot from the stove.
Continue cooking rest of mixture (adding oil to the pan each time) and eat your own pancakes last.
Bigger Batch of 3-Egg Crepes
Makes about 20 six inch crepes. Since they are thin, an adult serving is usually two or three, hot with maple syrup.
In a bowl, whisk together:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
In a 2-cup measuring cup, beat:
- 3 large eggs
Add enough
- water to make 2 cups of egg and water mixture
Add
- 2 cups milk
Whisk everything together to form a thin batter.
Put 1 Tbsp oil or butter in a hot pan, when oil is hot pour 1/3 cup batter in and tilt pan to spread batter.
Flip when edges turn golden and pancake looks set.
Cook briefly on the other side.
Put cooked crepe on a plate and continue to cook batter, adding a little more oil to the hot pan when needed.
Refrigerator 4-Egg Batter Crepes
Makes 32 small crepes.
After mixing batter, refrigerate overnight or at least 1 hour, stir again before cooking in hot oil.
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups flour
- 2-1/4 cups milk
- 1/4 cup melted butter
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk eggs and salt.
Gradually add flour alternately with milk, beating till smooth.
Beat in melted butter.
Blender method: Combine ingredients in blender jar, blend 1 minute, scrape down sides, blend 15 seconds more or until smooth.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Cook in heated butter or oil.
Flavored Crepes
Chocolate
Substitute 2 Tbsp of the flour with cocoa powder and 1 tsp liquid or flavouring with 1 tsp chocolate liqueur.
Chocolate Dessert Fettucine
Stack 3 chocolate crepes and roll into a log.
Slice into 1/3 inch wide strips.
Toss with whipped cream and toasted nuts just before serving.
Lemon
Stir lemon zest (at least 2 tsp) into the batter and dust crepes with icing sugar. Serve with lemon preserves or marmalade.
Frozen Dessert Crepes
Spoon 1/2 cup ice cream on lower right quarter of a plain or lemon crepe.
Fold left edge over ice cream, then fold into a triangle.
Freeze until firm, 1-2 hours.
Slice in half and serve with chocolate sauce or raspberry coulis.
Savoury Crepes:
- Substitute olive oil for an equal amount of melted butter or oil in the recipe.
- Add 2 Tbsp grated parmesan
- 2 tsp finely chopped fresh basil
- grate in some pepper.
Savoury Crepes to make enchiladas:
- Add 1 tsp cayenne pepper and
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Smoked Salmon Party Crepe
Serve as a starter before dinner.
- Spread 1 cooled savoury crepe (parmesan and basil) with 2 Tbsp softened cream cheese.
- Lay a single layer of smoked salmon across the bottom two-thirds of crepe.
- Season with pepper.
- Lay 6 chives across the salmon.
- Starting at bottom edge, roll up into a tight log.
- Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
- Trim edges and slice into 5 portions.
Serve cut-side down, topped with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of chopped chives.
French Crepes
This batter makes a paper-thin crepe. After they are cooked in butter or oil in the crepe pan, spread with jam or chocolate hazelnut filling (Nutella) and roll, sprinkle with icing sugar if desired. If using whipped cream in the filling, cool the crepes first.
Whisk together:
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 1 scant cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
Crepes for Fruit Filling
A delicate crepe but substantial enough to hold fruit fillings.
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 cup cold milk
- 3 beaten eggs
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- canola or vegetable oil or unsalted butter (melted)
Use a whisk to mix together all ingredients to make a smooth batter.
- Batter can be mixed in a blender if you like.
- Pour a little oil in a crepe pan, a heavy frying pan with low sides).
- Turn burner to medium high heat.
- Pour batter in the centre of the pan and tilt the pan so that batter spreads out to the sides.
- Cook 2-3 minutes then flip the crepe with a spatula and cook about a minute more.
- Remove crepe from pan onto a plate and repeat until all batter is cooked.
- Fill with jam or berries, chopped fruit, or applesauce.
- Top with a sprinkling of cinnamon and icing sugar or a drizzle of syrup or yogurt.
