The Perfect French Crêpe Recipe

Looking for a delicious family breakfast favorite? I have the perfect dish to try – French Crêpes!

Our family grew up eating French Crêpes weekly, as my dad is a french chef. He could whip up a batter so quickly and we would down them even quicker. They are easy, delicious and the perfect comfort food. We usually had them for dessert, after our main entree. The main course would consist of a meat, vegetable and a starch, such as lamb chops, french beans and shoestring potatoes.

We always looked forward to Crêpes for dessert because of the sweet taste. My favorite way to eat them was filled with apple sauce and powdered sugar sprinkled on top. It is soooo good!

Being a french chef, Dad would add liqueur to many of his desserts. At Christmastime, he always added liqueur to his Bûche de Noël. As a child I didn’t care for the liqueur taste, funny how times change 😉

One of Dad’s favorite variations of this sweet dessert or breakfast food was Crêpes Suzette. This dessert consists of crepes with beurre Suzette, a sauce of caramelized sugar and butter, orange juice, zest, and Grand Marnier, Triple Sec or orange Curaçao liqueur on top, and flambé, (where alcohol is added to a hot pan to create a burst of flames). Grand Marnier was a staple liqueur in our house, Dad used it often in his dishes.

My sweet niece reminded me of Dad’s recipe a few weeks ago, when she whipped up a batch for our family. They were gone quickly and oh so delish!

Today, I am sharing a recipe for French Crêpes just like Dad used to make. They differ from traditional pancakes because sugar is added to the batter, giving them that hint of sweetness. For an even sweeter taste, Pure Vanilla Extract can also be added to the batter. To make traditional French Crêpes, you will need the following:

The Best French Crepe Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Wheat Flour
• 3 Eggs
• 2 Cups Milk
• 2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon White Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

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Just like Dad, I frequently use my Kitchen Aid Mixer (check out the great price of this one) for just about everything! It sits on my countertop and is used weekly.

1.) Start by sifting together the flour, sugar and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and milk together with a Kitchen Aid mixer. Beat in flour mixture until smooth and stir in melted butter and Vanilla Extract.

2.) Heat a lightly greased frying pan over medium high heat. I like to use Kerrygold butter for my Crêpes. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 2 tablespoons for each Crêpe. Tip and rotate pan to spread batter as thinly as possible.

Tip: when you make Crêpes, tilt the hot, slightly greasy pan and pour the batter in the from the edges. DO NOT start pouring the batter in the middle of the pan or else you will end up with the batter settling in the center before you can spread it.

3.) Cook the Crêpes for approximately 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. You will know when it’s time to turn because when you shake the pan, it will move freely. Then give it another 15-30 seconds and flip. There should be enough butter hanging out in the batter so that you won’t have to add a lot to the pan if your heat is right. But it may be necessary to add a bit extra grease to the pan.

4.) Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. If you are using a well greased pan you can flip it over without a spatula like the pro’s…that’s my favorite part of cooking these.

I made 2 full plates, and 2 batters of these Crêpes. My first couple weren’t very round, but they got progressively better and more shapely with practice.

5.) I placed the Crêpes on a plate or you could use tupperware with the lid covering them, but NOT sealed – immediately after cooking. This will keep them warm and moisten the edges and other crispy areas.

I kept the first batch warm in my Wolf Countertop Oven. I use this oven every single day, it’s a game changer in my kitchen. 

A few other tips: When it comes to making Crêpes, always keep an eye on the heat settings, if the setting is too high, you get dried curlies on the edges. If the setting is too low, you get that thick-in-the-middle effect as the batter settles to the lowest point in the pan before it has a chance to set up. Don’t just set the heat and let it go; keep adjusting as you cook and you’ll find the balance point.

The heat was perfect for my second batch, they spread easily and the pan was perfectly greased.

They were nicely rounded too. It takes some practice to get them just right…but the effort is worth it and the look on the faces of your family tells you so 🙂

Crêpes can be served in a variety of ways; fillings include Nutella spread, preserves, sugar (granulated or powdered), maple syrup, lemon juice, whipped cream, fruit spreads, custard, and sliced soft fruits or confiture. A confiture is any fruit jam, marmalade, paste, sweetmeat, or fruit stewed in thick syrup. Or the favorite way I ate them as a child…filled with good old apple sauce 🙂

Bon Appétit mes Amis!

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Denise

XO

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