Basic Crepe Recipe

by Owner/Executive Chef Lisa Nakamura of Allium

Makes 12-16 6-inch crepes

Ingredients
1 cup whole milk

1 cup cake flour, sifted

1 whole egg

2 egg yolks

1 t salt

 

In a blender, combine milk, whole egg and egg yolks.  Add salt and cake flour.  Blend together until smooth. The consistency of the batter should be like cream. Strain into a bowl. 

Let the mixture rest at room temperature for an hour, or refrigerate overnight.  It is important to let the batter rest.  If you use it right away, the crepes may be tough and rubbery.

 

Over a medium flame, heat up a six inch non stick or crepe pan.  Lightly oil the pan.  Pour in one ounce of batter and swirl the pan around with your other hand.  This will help distribute the batter evenly.   If the batter is too thick, you can thin it out with milk or water.  The pan needs to be at the right temperature:  too cold and the crepe will be uneven in thickness, too hot and the batter will cook too quickly.

When the surface of the crepe appears dry, gently loosen the edges with a rubber spatula, and then flip the crepe over.  Let it cook just for about five seconds, to make sure all the batter is completely cooked.  This process takes about thirty seconds.

 

Remove the crepe from the pan, and start making another one. 

 

As your timing and skills improve, you can make crepes in two or three pans at the same time.

 

When the crepes are cool, cover them tightly and refrigerate.  They also freeze well.

 

To use them, zap them in the microwave for about thirty seconds, or warm them in the oven for two or three minutes.  They need to be warm to be pliable.  If you try to fill them while they are cold, they will crack.  Fillings can be as simple as fresh asparagus with mushroom sauce and bacon, or more complex like a creamy lobster stew.  Crepes will elevate the menu and make any meal an elegant occasion. 

 

Variations:

Add 1 T sugar and a 1 t vanilla extract to the batter for dessert crepes. 

 

Add fresh green herbs such as chives or parsley before blending the batter.  The batter will take on a lovely green tint.  As you remove them from the pan, allow them to cool individually.  If you stack them while they are still warm, they will lose their bright green color.

Parsley in the batter gives it a nice green tint.

 

I trim the edges of the crepes with a pastry cutter, to give them a neater look:

Here's one way to serve crepes; filled with asparagus, topped with a mushroom cream and bacon bits.

And here are crepes filled with ice cream and topped with chocolate sauce:

Click here to see Chef Lisa's tips

June 2013