Crêpe
Photo:
The crêpe is a thin wheat flour pancake from Brittany, now eaten across France and most of the world. The batter is simple: flour, eggs, milk, butter, a little sugar. What matters is the ratio and the resting time. The batter needs time to relax before it cooks well.
Sweet crêpes are street food and home food. The simplest version is butter and sugar, or a squeeze of lemon. Nutella is now probably the most common filling, and banana is common. Jam, whipped cream, fresh fruit, and caramel all work. The crêpe itself is neutral enough to carry almost anything sweet.
They're different from galettes de sarrasin in one key way: wheat flour instead of buckwheat, which makes them paler, softer, and suited to sweet rather than savory fillings.
Crêpe Recipe
Ingredients (Makes about 12 crêpes)
- All-purpose flour – 125g
- Eggs – 2 large
- Milk – 300ml
- Butter – 20g, melted, plus extra for the pan
- Sugar – 1 tablespoon
- Salt – a pinch
- Vanilla extract – ½ teaspoon (optional)
Instructions
Make the batter
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the eggs and whisk until combined.
- Gradually add the milk, whisking until smooth. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla if using.
- Rest the batter for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. This step makes a real difference to the texture.
Cook the crêpes
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Brush lightly with butter.
- Pour in a small ladleful of batter and immediately tilt the pan in a circular motion to spread it as thin as possible.
- Cook for about 1 minute until the edges lift and the underside is lightly golden. Flip and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Stack on a plate as you go. They won't stick to each other.
Serving Suggestions
The classic is butter and sugar, eaten straight from the pan. Lemon juice and sugar is close behind. For something more filling: Nutella, jam, or salted caramel. Fold into quarters or roll into a cylinder.
| Name_ | Crêpe |
|---|---|
| Origin_ | 🇫🇷 France |
| Morphology_ | ⟁ Crepe |
| Flavor_ | sweet |
| Filling_ | nutella, fruit, jam |
| Topping_ | butter, sugar, lemon |
| Recipe_ | Crêpe Recipe |
| « All Pancakes_ | |