# Crepes: Effects of adding/reducing ingredients



## surfol (Jan 10, 2009)

Hey guys,

I tried to make my own crepe, but not matter how many times I tried altering the ingredient amount, it always tastes more like pancake. It also tastes too moist. I've managed to reduce the thickness by adding water, but still it tastes too moist.

How do I make it more crepe-like, less moist, and just a little bit crispier?
And what are the effects of adding certain ingredients to the finished product? 

here's the recipe I used:
1 cup all purpose
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp butter
dash of salt
2 tbsp sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Thanks!


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## Wyogal (Jan 10, 2009)

I use eggs in mine, no water. Just eggs, milk, flour, a little salt, some melted butter. When making Swedish pancakes, I add vanilla (sometimes almond extract), and a bit of sugar.


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## ella/TO (Jan 10, 2009)

I would think one would have to use eggs in crepes....I tend to agree with Wyogal


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## PieSusan (Jan 10, 2009)

I have posted my mom's blintzes recipe. A blintz is a crepe. It works beautifully each time.
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f21/betty-greenes-cheese-blintzes-52402.html


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## PieSusan (Jan 10, 2009)

surfol, welcome to DC.


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## Loprraine (Jan 10, 2009)

I'm with Wyogal, my recipe has the same ingredients.  It's an old Julia Child recipe I've been using for years.


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## surfol (Jan 10, 2009)

oops.. I forgot to mention I used 2 eggs in the recipe..

so any ideas what I can do to make it more crepe-like and less pancake-like?

thanks


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## Wyogal (Jan 10, 2009)

maybe you are putting too much batter in the pan. I use a ladle, pour it in, then tip the pan to coat the bottom of it. That's it. I do flip it and cook both sides. I'm not sure what you mean by "tasting" too moist.


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## mryummy (Jan 14, 2009)

surfol said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I tried to make my own crepe, but not matter how many times I tried altering the ingredient amount, it always tastes more like pancake. It also tastes too moist. I've managed to reduce the thickness by adding water, but still it tastes too moist.
> 
> ...



Ok I just made some wonderful crepes the other night. See the photo attached. This was my first time making them.

Here are some suggestions. First lose the water and the butter. They don't belong, at least not in a classical French crepe.

Dash of salt is ok, but reduce the sugar to 1tbsp, and see if you can find superfine sugar, aka, caster sugar. increase the milk to 1 1/4 cups, from your current half a cup, to make up for cutting the water. you'll need to add 2 eggs as well. also, 1/3rd of a cup of heavy cream. for the flour you're going to want a little less than a cup, say a cup minus a tbsp and a half.

Combine sugar, flour, salt in a mixing bowl, and make a little well in the middle. You can sift them together if you'd like, preferably twice to incorporate them evenly. Now throw in the 2 whole eggs and mix it up. Then gradually stir in the milk while mixing, and then the cream. All the while make sure no flour is building up on the bottom of the bowl (if you're using an electric mixer, just stop and use a spatula to mix in what's stuck to the sides and bottom, and then continue mixing).

Now here's the trick, once you've got the batter nicely mixed (but not whipped, you don't want to add too much air, just really well mixed at low-medium speeds or good elbow grease), now let the batter sit in the kitchen (covered by wax paper or cellophane) for an hour. 

When the hour is up, mix it up a bit with a whisk and heat up your crepe pan. You're using a non stick crepe pan yes? Keep the heat on medium, not too high, because non stick pans will release toxins when heated above ~450 degrees.

Dab a nickle sized amount of canola oil on the pan, and shake the pan back and forth (away from the flame) so that the oil breaks into little droplets around the pan. No place back on the flame for ~30 seconds to heat the pan up.

Drop 3/4 of a large ladel onto the pan (assuming a 9" pan) and spread it out evenly quickly. Place back over the flame and let it firm up for the next 60-90 seconds. If you are quick with spreading it over the pand and don't worry about it not being perfectly round, you'll have pretty thin crepes such as the ones I made last night (see photo). With practice I'm sure you can get them thinner.

Enjoy


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