Crepe Week: Foolproof Crepes

Happy Crepe Week!

There is so much to do/celebrate/eat this week, it’s hard to know what to make! Lunar New Year, Super Bowl, and the upcoming Valentine’s Day… But my favorite day lands smack dab in the middle of them all – February 2: La Chandeleur! This special French day translates directly as Candlemas, but is colloquially referred to as crepe day. A real, official day devoted to eating your weight in crepes! (Ok, maybe not quite that much, but I’ll take any excuse to eat crepe after crepe). And so, it must begin with some foolproof crepes.

And so in honor of this foodie day, I have deemed this week Crepe Week here on my blog. Each day this week I will be posting a recipe/filling suggestion for crepes. Some sweet, some savory, all delicious. As a bonus, these recipes can also be used for non-crepe dishes! But this week, everything is rolled up in a thin little pancake. Today is devoted to the amazing base recipe to make foolproof crepes.

FOOLPROOF CREPES

The first time I made a crepe was in high school French class. My teacher brought in a slew of equipment from the neighboring chemistry classroom (hot plates and beakers), and we were all taught how to make crepes. This was definitely one of my favorite days in high school… Followed by a lot of time in France then hosting the occasional crepe party in college, crepes have become a standard meal item for me. They are so simple and easy to make, and are also tons of fun.

Below is the recipe for foolproof crepes. It may not seem like anything special, but it is completely special. It brings it back to the basics which means you can’t go wrong and these literally pair with anything and everything. Sweet, savory, and even miscellaneous leftovers – this is the recipe you need.

As a bonus today, here is a wonderful crepe suggestion that is so simple it can hardly be called a recipe. Granny smith apples + brie + honey. Roll it all up in one of these crepes and you’ll have a treat fit for breakfast, dessert, or afternoon snack.

TIPS AND TRICKS

And now, here are some tips for making foolproof crepes:

1. Use a crepe pan. They really are the best for getting the perfect size crepe. However, despite my frequent crepe making, I don’t actually have one. And it works out just fine, I think.
2. Use a nonstick frying pan. The one I use is ceramic coated which means everything slides right off of it. Nonstick works best because then you don’t usually have to worry about your crepes sticking.
3. However…greasing the pan once at the very beginning does help! I recommend using a little bit of butter or coconut oil, but a cooking spray could work well too. It helps get a good coating on the pan and helps ensure the whole bach of crepes don’t stick.
4. Remember: the first crepe (and pancake) is usually a little wonky. Don’t be discouraged, it’s always the technique and taste tester. 😉
5. The trick is in your wrist. Put the batter in the hot pan and immediately swirl the pan so the batter glides around the edges, and then fills in the center. If there is a spot that didn’t get filled, add another drop of batter to it. Crepes are quite forgiving, but moving swiftly helps the process.
6. Finding the proper medium heat for this is key. Try a slightly lower heat at first and increase the pan heat as you go until you find the exact right heat for your stove/pan. The crepes should brown, but the batter should also be able to be spread before it cooks all the way!
7. Flip at your own risk. But actually, flipping crepes is really fun and you should try it!
8. Bonus: Crepes freeze well. If you ever have a surplus of crepes, wrap them up and freeze them. You can reheat them in the microwave in mere seconds so you can have crepes anytime you want.

There you have it! Bonne chance and have fun!

Print Pin

Basic Crepes

Simple and basic crepe recipe - perfect for sweet and savory crepes.

Servings 10 Crepes

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Cup All-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp Butter, melted and slightly cooled

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine milk, water and eggs. Adding about 1/2 cup at a time, whisk the flour into the wet ingredients. Once combined, stir in the salt and melted butter.
• Lightly grease a crepe pan or small frying pan with butter and heat on medium high.
• Using about a 1/4 cup of batter for each crepe, add batter to hot pan tilting until the batter covers the entire bottom of the pan. Cook for 2 minutes and then flip, cooking for 2 more minutes on the other side. Place crepe on plate and repeat for remaining batter.