Light as air crepes...
In a large jug, whisk one cup of flour, one egg, one tablespoon of oil or melted butter, a pinch of salt, and enough milk to make the batter resemble the consistency of pouring cream, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Heat a non stick pan over medium-high heat, and barely moisten it with some oil wiped over with a paper towel. Pour in a scant quarter cup of batter and swirl it to spread the batter thinly, allowing it to dry out and lift at the edges, before flipping. Slide from the pan to a waiting platter and repeat with remaining batter.
I like to layer this to form a sort of cake, using Nutella, Jam and Cream or even just lemon or lime juice (freshly squeezed) and caster sugar between the layers. Yummy!
Some tips for crepe perfection...
1. Only use a non stick frypan.
2. Find yourself a stainless steel spatula with a squared off edge. Plastic spatulas with rounded edges make it very hard to lift and flip your crepes neatly.
3. Do not use too much oil. A light smear or spray is all that's required.
4. Don't use too much batter per crepe. You only want a couple of tablespoons of batter to give you enough to swirl for a side plate sized crepe.
5. Don't make the crepes too large, as they'll be hard to flip, and won't look as pretty when stacked.
6. Make sure the crepe is dry and frilly around the edges and bubbly on top, before you try to flip. It should be virtually cooked on the top, and only require browning once flipped.
7. Serving variations are only limited by your imagination. Savoury fillings can include leftovers, vegetables, meat, fish or chicken in a white sauce rolled inside cigar style, topped with cheese, and baked in a moderate oven. Sweet fillings can be fruit, mousse, spreads or simply citrus juice and fine sugar.
8. Start with the pan on the highest setting, and be prepared to discard the first crepe in each batch as you get the technique and temperature right. Reduce the heat to medium high after the first crepe.
9. Crepes make a great substitute stacked as a sort of layer cake, used instead of lasagne sheets (especially for those who eat gluten free), and served as an inexpensive and elegant brunch or breakfast.
10. Roll them like cigars, fold them into little half circles or quarter circles, or simply enjoy layered with sugar between the layers.
Yum!
How will you enjoy your crepes?
...Mimi...
