# Crepes



## Linux (Aug 18, 2010)

I prefer to call pancakes  “crepes”. Their edges are as frilly as old French lace and should be  delicate little things. Our family’s recipe, generations old, for me,  sums up the perfect crepe. In our brasserie, these crepes always are  popular: the proof of the pudding is always in the eating.

For ingredients we always use organic,  free-range eggs. These have a lovely deep yellow yolk, so a crepe made  with them will have a better colour. The flour we use is plain, the milk  can be skimmed or whole/full cream. It doesn’t really matter. Salt, I  always add the tiniest pinch - that really does make a difference,  either sweet or savoury crepes, always a little pinch, nothing more.

Some cooks say mineral water added to  the batter makes a crepe lighter. Or, beer. But I’m not so sure. What is  more important is that the cooking is done quickly, so that the pancake  remains moist. Cooked too slowly, crepes tend to dry out. Another cause  of thin, dry results is using a batter that is too thin. What I am  fussy about, though, is making the batter the consistency of double  cream. In America “heavy cream” is about the same as our UK’s double  cream. And, when after making the batter, I find that resting it gives  the protein in it time to relax, and the starch from the plain flour,  time to expand. 

Heat  the pan slowly, over a low to moderate heat. Check first whether it’s  hot enough by first making a pancake. The pan should be hot enough that  the batter colours in less than a minute, but not so hot that the batter  sets before you have time to let it run over the entire pan. 

Personally, I like the first crepe out  of the pan. It sticks a little, so is always a little more well done  that the rest, and I’ll pig it down with freshly squeezed sharp lemon  juice, the crepe dredged with gritty caster sugar. Scrummy! It’s also  the cook’s perk. 

I  love making crepes. Just getting onto a roll and making batches of them  is my idea of culinary heaven, made better still on our faithful old  Lancanche. But in crepes, lightness is crucial. Too thin and your crepes  will have no substance. Too thick and my daughter will screw her nose  up and go “ewwww!” 

In  Reims, French creperies have everything from chocolate sauce to apple  purée on their menus. Moreish though these fillings can be, they run  pretty close to gilding the lily. The only one really worth bothering  with is crêpe suzette which, although am told is 60’s passé, crêpe  suzette is one of the great desserts of all time. Give me light crepes  in a sticky unsalted butter and a sharp, citrus sauce anytime. Be snotty  about it if you want, but frankly it's your loss. I reckon it's a  charming way to end a meal. 

This  basic recipe makes about 12. 

1¾  oz / 50g butter, plus more for cooking 
3½ oz / 100g plain  flour 
1 large egg 
1 large egg yolk 
350ml  milk 

Melt most of the  butter in a small pan and leave it to cool slightly. Sift the flour  into a large mixing bowl with a good pinch of salt. Scoop a well in the  centre of the flour, then drop in the egg and the egg yolk. You can beat  them lightly first, but I'm not sure it makes much difference. Pour in  the milk, whisking gently as you go, then whisk in the melted butter.  Set the batter aside for about half an hour. 

Melt some butter for frying. Heat an 8 inch /  18-20cm crepe pan and brush it with a little melted butter. Stir the  batter - it should be the thickness of double cream - and pour 50-60ml  into the pan. Working quickly, tilt the pan so that the batter runs all  over the surface, making a neatish round. The base should be covered in  batter, but not quite thin enough to see through. 

Let the crepe cook for a minute or so  until the underside is golden in patches and comes easily away from the  pan. Lift one edge up with a palette knife and flip it gently over. The  base should be cooked in 1 minute, maybe less - but it will only cook in  patches, not as evenly as the first side. Tip it carefully on to a  plate. Brush the pan with a little more melted butter and continue until  you have used all the batter.

Note:  for sweet pancakes, you can add 1 tablespoon of caster sugar to the  mixture and 2 tablespoons of brandy. This will give a sweet, richer  finish and is especially good for those who like their pancakes with  cream or ice cream.


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## mollyanne (Aug 18, 2010)

Linux said:


> ...“crepes”. Their edges are as frilly as old French lace and should be delicate little things...either sweet or savoury crepes...freshly squeezed sharp lemon juice, the crepe dredged with gritty caster sugar. Scrummy!...I love making crepes....culinary heaven, made better still on our faithful old Lancanche. In Reims, French creperies have everything from chocolate sauce to apple purée on their menus...gilding the lily...crêpe suzette is one of the great desserts of all time....Be snotty about it if you want, but frankly it's your loss...it's a charming way to end a meal.


Thank you, Linux, for that beautiful post and recipe for crepes...but did you have to say "snotty"?


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## Linux (Aug 18, 2010)

mollyanne said:


> Thank you, Linux, for that beautiful post and recipe for crepes...but did you have to say "snotty"?



I know. But unfortunately, in France especially, this is what many people can get like. 

I love food writing, but can never find enough time to enjoy it fully. Thank you for the compliments, though.


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## mollyanne (Aug 18, 2010)

You have a talent for culinary writing, Linux. You can practice on us anytime . 

I'll never forget this guy I was playing an online ABC Word Association game with where everything we said had to be said in alphabetical order. It was a conversation that had to relate to previous post. Here's one of his posts in response to my post about fingerlickin' glazes (notice all words in alphabetical order):

"honey infused jewel-like krumpets, lavishly mascarponed millefeuille, nicely oranged petit poptart puffs"

I fell in love right then and there


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## Linux (Aug 18, 2010)

mollyanne said:


> You have a talent for culinary writing, Linux. You can practice on us anytime .
> 
> I'll never forget this guy I was playing an online ABC Word Association game with where everything we said had to be said in alphabetical order. It was a conversation that had to relate to previous post. Here's one of his posts in response to my post about fingerlickin' glazes (notice all words in alphabetical order):
> 
> ...



Aww that reminds me of Loyd Grossman's prose, his famously elongated transatlantic really cracks me up!  No surprising you fell for him. 

Might do some more practicing at the weekend, if I can get time off before I go on holiday.


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