Crêpe is a dish made from unleavened batter or dough that is cooked on a frying pan or griddle. In France, crepes are traditionally served on the christian holiday ‘candlemas’ (la chandeleur), on February 2. On that day in 472, Pope Gelasius I offered crepes as a sacramental bread to French pilgrims that were visiting Rome for the Chandeleur. The sacramental bread was replaced by crepes in France, and the day became known as Le jour des Crêpes ( The day of the Crêpes). Crêpes can also be made into crepe cakes by stacking plain crepes on top of each other, adding a layer of filling between the layers. Fruits, chocolate, cookies, marshmallow, etc., can be added. Most crêpe cakes are sweet and considered dessert. It can also replace the traditional birthday cake. Crêpe cakes are usually 15–30 layers, and the crêpes used are very thin and soft. A cake made with layers of crêpes with a filling in between is called “gâteau de crêpes” or ”mille-crêpes” (a Japanese-made French word combining crêpes and mille-fieuille).
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter 3Tbsp or 43g, plus 3-4 more Tbsp or 43g-56g) for the pan
- All purpose flour 1 cup or 125g
- Granulated sugar 1Tbsp
- Salt 1/8 tsp
- Whole Milk 3/4 cup or 180ml (room temperature)
- Water 1/2 cup 0r 120ml (room temerature)
- Eggs 2
- Vanilla Extract 1 and 1/2 tsp
Procedure
Crêpes are as difficult to make as easy it is to gather the ingredients considering the fact that the longest part of this recipe is standing over the gas cooker and cooking them one at a time and that too over medium heat.
- Melt the butter: Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stove. Let it cool for a few minutes before using in the batter (otherwise you could scramble the eggs).
- Combine all ingredients in a blender: Add the cooled butter and all the remaining ingredients into the blender. A blender works perfectly to smooth out the batter because it cuts that flour wonderfully into all the wet ingredients. If you don’t have a blender, just use a mixing bowl and whisk.
- Chill the batter: Chill the batter for at least 30-0 minutes before cooking it (this refrigeration process is important as it determines the texture, taste and how beautiful your will turn out).
- Butter & heat your non-stick frying pan or skillet: Butter your pan generously (or oil if you are using vegetable or olive oil) and keep extra aside for greasing pan between each crêpe and make sure to keep the crêpe batter thin while frying.
- Cook crêpe one at a time: Preferably, use 3 tablespoons of batter per crêpe. The less you use and the larger you stretch the Crêpe, the thinner they will be. To stretch the batter, twirl the pan and allow the batter to stretch a far as the they can go (we don’t want them becoming thick). Also, flip the crêpe over and cook the other side too.
- You could serve your crêpe warm with cold whipped cream and fresh berries, just berries, bananas and other fruits or vegies of your choice.
Enjoy!
