Crepes Recipe

A typical crepes recipe includes eggs, milk and flour. These paper thin pancakes can be eaten on the go, or as sit down meal or dessert. There are many variations, sweet (crêpes*sucrées) and savory (crêpes* salées). Sweet crepes are made with white wheat flour while the savory, known as galettes, are made with buckwheat flour (blé noir).

Galettes originated in Brittany, the Northwest corner of France, where it was a peasant dish cooked on a stone or large pebble (le galet). Buckwheat is easy to grow in poor soil and was part of the staple diet in Brittany. Today galettes and crepes are eaten all over France.

A creperie is a place that makes and serves crepes and can be a simple take out stand, a restaurant or a cafe. There are creperies all over France, however they are extremely common in Brittany, where crepes are typically paired with regional apple cider (cidre).

I learned to make crepes from a simple e-book -- The Essential Guide to Crepes. Click here. The pictures will help you learn the technique. I make crepes for my kids, when they arrive home from school. They love to invite their friends and try different variations.

Rhyme

In France, crepes are traditionally served on Candlemas ( La chandeleur) Feb. 2. A fun rhyme to say, while flipping the crepes:

A la Chandeleur - (At Candlemas)

Faire sauter les crepes (to make the crepes jump)

Porte Bonheur (brings happiness)

When learning French for kids, make the rhyme into a fun game with hand motions for flipping the crepes in the air.

Basic Crepes Recipe

Fun to prepare, this crepes recipe makes a nutritious meal or snack for kids. I often have batter in the fridge all ready, for when my kids arrive home from school.

2 cups milk

2 eggs well beaten

1 ¼ cups flour

1 tsp salt

1tbsp melted butter

Kids can mix up the batter for the crepes recipe.

Use a crepes pan if you have one. If not a 12 –inch non-stick fry pan works fine. Mixture should be very thin and runny.

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and put the batter in the refrigerator for at least two hours. This allows the liquid to really permeate the flour .

Spray the pan with cooking spray ( or melt some butter). Heat the pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot pour enough batter just to thinly coat the pan – while turning the pan to swirl the batter until it covers the bottom. Cook over medium heat until brown ( approximately1- 2 minutes), then flip over and brown the other side. I like to use a spatula but the true talent is able to toss it in the air to flip. Cook the flip side until golden brown and turn onto a plate. Before making the next crepe re-spray or butter the pan.

Prior to serving, fold each crepe . If you are adding topping, add the topping and then fold.

Savory Crepes Recipe -- Galettes

1 cup buckwheat flour

1 cup white flour

4 eggs well beaten

½ tsp salt

4 tbsp melted butter

1 cup milk

Sift the two flours together. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. If necessary, add more milk. The batter (“Pâte à crêpe”) should have the consistency of light cream. Refrigerate for at least two hours. Cook according to directions above.

Vocabulary

Here are just a few of the many varieties of fillings.

Crêpes de froment (wheat crepes)

Butter and Sugar	Beurre et Sucre
Lemon and Sugar	Citron et Sucre
Cinnamon	Canelle
Honey and Lemon	Miel et Citron
Jam	Confiture
Nutella	Nutella
Ice Cream	Glace
Chocolate Sauce	Sauce au Chocolat
Banana and Nutella	Banane et Nutella
Fresh Fruit	Fruits Frais
Chantilly Cream	Crème Chantilly

Crêpes de blé noir (buckwheat crepes or Galettes)

Ham and Cheese	Jambon et Fromage
Ham, Cheese and Egg	Jambon, Fromage et Oeuf
Smoked Salmon	Saumon fume
Mushrooms	Champignons
Chicken	Poulet

*Note the French spelling has a circumflex over the e (ê).

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