Basic Crepes

A crepe is a thin light pancake cooked on both sides made with an unleavened batter generally using wheat or buckwheat flour, eggs, salt, milk or water and prepared in advance to settle before use. The crepe displays a beautiful lace pattern on the first cooked side and is speckled on the flip side when cooked. This is a standard recipe very useful for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert which I have been using with stunning effect.

Ingredients make approx. 50 small or 25 large crepes

6 eggs (300g)

1000 g milk

500 g plain flour

1 tsp sea salt

4 tbls peanut oil or melted butter (80g)

1 cup water (250g)

Method

Place 6 eggs in a bowl and beat lightly with a whisk. Pour in the milk and combine. Add flour and salt in a steady stream while whisking until batter is smooth. Blend in the oil or melted butter and allow the mixture to rest for at least 30 minutes. Mix in the water and heat a nonstick 18 cm round frying pan over medium heat. Lightly grease with melted butter or spray oil. Pour 35 g batter into the pan and swirl it around as a result the bottom should be evenly coated. Cook the crepe for approx. 1 minute on one side until golden. Flip the pancake over and cook the other side for approx. 30 seconds. Slide the pancake out of the pan and pile on a plate. Continue until all the batter is used. Cover the crepes and place in the fridge or for use within an hour keep warm in a 100ºC oven.

Note: Add more liquid to the batter if the crepes don’t develop a good lace pattern and are too thick. A thinner crepe batter is achieved with substituting milk with water or a part of it.