CREPES SUCREES
Dessert Crepes
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Dessert crepes are made with sweetened batter. In addition to the sugar and vanilla in the recipe, other flavourings can be added to the batter to match the crepes to the filling. A touch of freshly grated nutmeg or powdered cinnamon for an apple filling, or a little grated lemon zest when filling with a lemon-flavored pastry cream, are just two examples. I use this recipe to make breakfast crepes for my children. They enjoy spreading a thin layer of jam or jelly on the crepes and then folding or rolling them to eat.
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (150 g) all-purpose flour
3 eggs
2 tablespoons (25g) sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups milk
3 tablespoons (45g) melted butter or vegetable oil
Put the flour into a bowl* and add the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and 1/2 cup of the milk. Whisk slowly until a smooth batter is formed. Add the remaining 1 cup milk and whisk well. If time permits, allow the batter to rest 30 minutes. (As the batter rests the granules of flour absorb the milk and swell, creating a smoother batter and a slightly stronger crepe than if used right away.)
Whisk in the butter just before using the batter.
Heat a 6-inch crepe pan, either well-seasoned or with a nonstick surface, over medium-high heat. The pan is ready when a drop of water dances on the hot surface. Hold the pan in one hand, tilting it slightly. Using a small ladle or coffee measure, pour about 2 tablespoons of batter into the pan where the sides and bottom meet. Now turn the pan in a circular motion to spread the batter evenly. The amount of batter used should just coat the bottom of the pan. Any excess should be poured back.
Cook the crepe until the edge begins to brown. Turn the crepe with a spatula or flip it. Cook the second side for only 10 to 15 seconds and slide the crepe onto a plate. (The surface of the crepe should be medium brown in colour. If after making two crepes you find the colour either too dark or too light, adjust your heat accordingly. At the same point, if you find the crepe is too thick, thin the batter with a little more milk.) Repeat until all the crepes are made, stacking them one on top of the other, and allow them to cool.
*This can also be done in a blender without worry of lumps forming. Place all ingredients in the container of the blender. Then turn the blender on and off again. Scrape down the flour that has stuck to the sides of the blender and blend until smooth.
Excerpted from At Home With the French Classics,*
Copyright (c) 1988 by Richard Grausman. Reprinted with permission
by Workman Publishing.
