Crepes are one of the most delicious words in the human language and an iconic French food that can take several forms from sweet to savory. Even one of the music industry’s biggest stars cannot resist these elegant, paper-thin pancakes that can be folded and stuffed with one’s favorite toppings: “I love making buckwheat crepes with ham, Parmesan cheese, and a fried egg on top. It’s my go-to breakfast,” says Taylor Swift.
Beginning With The Basics
You don’t need a complicated list of ingredients for making your own classic French crepes. In fact, all that is required are flour, eggs and liquid in either milk or water mixed together for a delicate batter, and you’re good to go.
Of course, melting a little bit of unsalted butter in your skillet gets the process rolling. Our crepe experts recommend using a 10-inch nonstick frying pan, or if you want to go fancy, then purchase an 8-inch crepe pan as is used in some restaurants. A wooden or rubber spatula is the main utensil ideal for shaping the batter into a round and flat layer and then flipping it over.
Using The Right Flour
All-purpose flour is excellent for making crepes that are usually sweetened with just a bit of sugar. These French beauties can be served in a variety of ways, including with fruit, whipped cream, ice cream, toasted nuts, syrup, powdered sugar or even a chocolaty spread such as Nutella.
When you’re craving savory crepes as Taylor Swift enjoys, then buckwheat flour is the perfect choice delivering a lovely, nutty flavor. The savory option is also versatile because it can be filled with cheese, bacon, eggs, vegetables, ham and other types of meat fillings as well as herbs.
Finding The Ideal Temperature
Culinary pros recommend taking your time until you achieve the perfect French crepes. One of the most important factors is using the ideal heat for your skillet on the range. Here’s a tip: Remember that lower temperatures are better than higher. That way, the heat will cook the batter before you have finished swirling the mixture into the corners of the pan. Start off on medium-high heat or a bit lower, and make your adjustments from there. Consider the first and second results as “tester” crepes, and enjoy eating them.
Martha Stewart, the kitchen goddess, has some advice about cooking crepes. The best ones are golden in places on the bottom as the edges begin to lift from the pan. That will occur in about one to one and a half minutes. Then, lift an edge of the crepe with a spatula, and use your fingers to gently flip the crepe. Cook it on the second side until just set and golden in places on the bottom, for about 45 seconds, Martha says.
Keep Practicing And Practicing
The more you make these yummy, ultra-thin pancakes, the better you will become at mastering this delicate, delicious French food. When they’ve been cooked, stack them up on a wire rack or plate to cool. You can also place them in the fridge (good for five days) or the freezer (for up to a month) for another time. Just make sure to wrap them in plastic and place them in a resealable bag.