Crepes (Rolled-up Pancakes)
Crepes were the first thing I learned to make and until I was almost an adult I didn't know they were called crepes. In my family we called them Rolled Up Pancakes. We always just sprinkled them with cinnamon and sugar, rolled them up and either ate them plain or with my mom's bottled peaches (still one of my favorite things). I've changed the recipe a little after experimenting and looking at authentic French crepe recipes. I don't know what's wrong with me but I just can't leave a recipe alone. It seems I just have to change it.
A funny crepe story--When I was about 12 years old, I had a sleep-over birthday party. I was very proud of the fact that I could make crepes, so I planned on making them for all my friends in the morning. When I began to make the recipe, I discovered that my mom was out of white flour. All she had was hard red wheat flour. I had never had or made them with whole wheat flour but was determined to make crepes for my friends, so I decided to try it. They were very heavy and full of whole wheat flavor which none of my friends were used to. After breakfast my friends were all in my bedroom talking and I came in and sat on the carpet. There were several shoes on the floor and, as we were talking, I picked up one of the shoes and began tossing it in the air. To my utter embarrassment (and my friends'), part of an eaten crepe fell out of the shoe. There was a roar of laughter and I was then told that my crepes weren't very good. I think my crepes have improved quite a bit in the last 38 years.
2½ cups milk or more
2 cups flour, loosely packed (I use half soft wheat & half AP)
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Sift flour, sugar and salt into bowl. Mix well and pour in eggs. Start mixing with fork or whisk, slowly incorporating the milk (and flour) until all milk is gone. (Try not to create foam) Slowly pour in melted butter, whisking fast. Best if refrigerated for 2 hours or more if possible. Add 1-2 tablespoons more milk if your batter seems thicker than cream. Heat frying pan on medium-high until very hot. Put a little butter in the pan and spread around including up the sides a little. Pour ¼ cups or less batter at a time (it depends on the size of your pan), just enough to barely coat bottom while turning pan around. When browned, flip to the other side. (You don't need to butter the pan after the first time unless you're making the French Breakfast Crepes below. The secret is to keep the pan hot. If you have to turn off the pan for a while before you're finished making the crepes, you will have to butter the pan again when it's hot, unless you're using a non-stick pan.
Gluten-free variation: Reduce milk to 2 cups and substitute the wheat flour for 187g finely ground rice flour (white or brown--I use both), 65g potato starch (not flour), and 30-40g tapioca starch/flour. Tips for success:
❥Reduce the heat to just below medium.
❥Stir the batter before each one.
❥If you mix the batter in a blender let it sit in the fridge overnight for the bubbles to go down (you may need to add more milk after this).
❥This version will require a little more batter in the pan for each one.
French Breakfast Crepes:
1 crepe
1 egg
1 teaspoon milk
Salt & Pepper
ham, thinly sliced
Bacon or Canadian bacon
Swiss cheese, sliced
cream cheese
Crack egg into cup with milk and a dash of salt. Mix with fork. Cook crepe on medium instead of medium-high. After turning crepe, only cook for a couple seconds and then fold in half and turn heat down to med-low. Melt some butter on empty side of pan, including up the sides a little, add egg, turning pan to spread thin and meet crepe along folded edge. Sprinkle egg with pepper. Place cream cheese, Swiss cheese, ham and bacon on top of halved crepe. Turn heat down to low, flip over cooked egg on top of ham & cheese-topped crepe. Fold in half or thirds (depending on how big your crepe is), continue to cook until cheese is melted, flipping over if necessary, and serve.
Dessert Crepes:
Cut strawberries
Sweetened cream cheese whipped cream
Chocolate sauce
Really you can use any fruit/cream/sauce combination!
A funny crepe story--When I was about 12 years old, I had a sleep-over birthday party. I was very proud of the fact that I could make crepes, so I planned on making them for all my friends in the morning. When I began to make the recipe, I discovered that my mom was out of white flour. All she had was hard red wheat flour. I had never had or made them with whole wheat flour but was determined to make crepes for my friends, so I decided to try it. They were very heavy and full of whole wheat flavor which none of my friends were used to. After breakfast my friends were all in my bedroom talking and I came in and sat on the carpet. There were several shoes on the floor and, as we were talking, I picked up one of the shoes and began tossing it in the air. To my utter embarrassment (and my friends'), part of an eaten crepe fell out of the shoe. There was a roar of laughter and I was then told that my crepes weren't very good. I think my crepes have improved quite a bit in the last 38 years.
Recipe:
4 eggs2½ cups milk or more
2 cups flour, loosely packed (I use half soft wheat & half AP)
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Sift flour, sugar and salt into bowl. Mix well and pour in eggs. Start mixing with fork or whisk, slowly incorporating the milk (and flour) until all milk is gone. (Try not to create foam) Slowly pour in melted butter, whisking fast. Best if refrigerated for 2 hours or more if possible. Add 1-2 tablespoons more milk if your batter seems thicker than cream. Heat frying pan on medium-high until very hot. Put a little butter in the pan and spread around including up the sides a little. Pour ¼ cups or less batter at a time (it depends on the size of your pan), just enough to barely coat bottom while turning pan around. When browned, flip to the other side. (You don't need to butter the pan after the first time unless you're making the French Breakfast Crepes below. The secret is to keep the pan hot. If you have to turn off the pan for a while before you're finished making the crepes, you will have to butter the pan again when it's hot, unless you're using a non-stick pan.
Gluten-free variation: Reduce milk to 2 cups and substitute the wheat flour for 187g finely ground rice flour (white or brown--I use both), 65g potato starch (not flour), and 30-40g tapioca starch/flour. Tips for success:
❥Reduce the heat to just below medium.
❥Stir the batter before each one.
❥If you mix the batter in a blender let it sit in the fridge overnight for the bubbles to go down (you may need to add more milk after this).
❥This version will require a little more batter in the pan for each one.
French Breakfast Crepes:
1 crepe
1 egg
1 teaspoon milk
Salt & Pepper
ham, thinly sliced
Bacon or Canadian bacon
Swiss cheese, sliced
cream cheese
Crack egg into cup with milk and a dash of salt. Mix with fork. Cook crepe on medium instead of medium-high. After turning crepe, only cook for a couple seconds and then fold in half and turn heat down to med-low. Melt some butter on empty side of pan, including up the sides a little, add egg, turning pan to spread thin and meet crepe along folded edge. Sprinkle egg with pepper. Place cream cheese, Swiss cheese, ham and bacon on top of halved crepe. Turn heat down to low, flip over cooked egg on top of ham & cheese-topped crepe. Fold in half or thirds (depending on how big your crepe is), continue to cook until cheese is melted, flipping over if necessary, and serve.
Dessert Crepes:
Cut strawberries
Sweetened cream cheese whipped cream
Chocolate sauce
Really you can use any fruit/cream/sauce combination!
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