Free recipes · from Book 1, Eggs, Bread & Pantry Rescue
Crêpes & the Batter Formula
Allergens: WHEAT GLUTEN EGG MILK Brands differ: always check the packaging of what you buy. Sauces made with vinegar or wine are tagged sulphites, to be safe.
Kids, young or old, crave crêpes and ask for them again and again. All you need is flour, eggs and milk: one batter, sweet or savoury (savoury is even better with buckwheat flour, sarrasin).
250 g flour + 4 eggs + 500 ml milk (US: 2 cups flour + 4 eggs + 2 cups milk)
By Chef Aurélie, professional chef
Ingredients
| Metric | US | |
|---|---|---|
| Plain flour (spooned into the cup) | 250 g | 2 cups |
| Salt | 1 pinch | 1 pinch |
| Eggs (large) | 4 | 4 |
| Milk | 500 ml | 2 cups |
| Butter, melted (+ for the pan) | 50 g | 3½ tbsp |
| Sweet: sugar + vanilla (or rum) | 1 tbsp + 1 tsp | 1 tbsp + 1 tsp |
Method
- Put the flour, salt (and sugar) in a bowl. Crack the eggs into a well in the middle.
- Whisk, pulling in the flour and adding the milk little by little: that stops lumps.
- Whisk in the melted butter: it should look like pouring cream. Rest 30 minutes if you can.
- Heat a buttered 20 to 24 cm (8 to 9 inch) non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
- Pour in 60 ml (¼ cup) of batter, tilting the pan to cover the base thinly.
- Cook 1 minute until golden underneath, flip, 30 seconds more. Stack on a plate.
Chef's tip The first crêpe is always a failure. In France we call it "la crêpe du chef", the one the cook eats. Don't adjust anything until the second one.
5 ways to make it your own
one formula, many dishes
| Name | Change to the base | How to serve |
|---|---|---|
| Sucre-citron | Sweet batter | Butter, sugar, lemon, folded in four |
| Crêpe complète | Savoury, half buckwheat flour | Ham, gruyère, an egg on top, folded square |
| American pancakes | ½ the milk + 2 tsp baking powder | Small rounds, 2 min a side. Maple syrup |
| Veg fritters | ¼ of the milk + 2 cups grated veg | Fry spoonfuls, 3 min a side. Yogurt dip |
| Crêpe "lasagne" | Savoury batter | Layer with bolognese or tomato sauce + cheese. Bake 20 min, 180 °C / 350 °F |
| Bonus Leftovers | Any crêpes | Roll with cheese, slice, pan-fry. Or freeze them |