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Chef Donna: Crepes – for dessert or for dinner

Crêpes – for dessert or for dinner! If you’ve ever thought about making crepes you’ve probably heard how hard they are, and then decided against it. There’s no ...

Crêpes – for dessert or for dinner!
If you’ve ever thought about making crepes you’ve probably heard how hard they are, and then decided against it. There’s no reason to! Crêpes are easy, fun, and you can make a bunch ahead of time, refrigerate or even freeze them, so you can have crêpes whenever you’d like. The trick is to make a classic batter, not one of those watered down versions you find all over the internet or in contemporary cookbooks. That batter is thin and too hard to work with. This recipe is a classic, and best of all, they’re not just for sweet fillings. Crêpes are wonderful “wraps” for classic fillings like duck, but add in shredded chicken, fish, beef or pork, some steamed vegetables, and a little gravy or sauce (all of which can be store bought!) and you’ve got an amazing meal. For your Perfect Pairing The Vineyard At Hershey’s Blackberry Portrait is amazing! The richness of the port cuts through the doughy-ness of the crêpes, and the blackberries match the sweetness of any dessert filling.

Recipe: Basic Crêpes
Makes about 18 crêpes

Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
5 large eggs
1 ¼ cup whole milk
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, melted (for batter) plus 1 tablespoon for pan(s)

Preparation
Combine flour and eggs in a mixing bowl adding just enough milk to gently work the mixture into a smooth paste using a whisk. A few lumps are okay. Gently whisk in almost all remaining milk (until you get the consistency of heavy cream). Strain batter pushing through all the lumps of flour. Gently whisk in the butter and salt. Optional: Let batter rest in a cool place for at least 2 hours, or refrigerate up to 24 hours.

Place a small pan over medium heat and add a little butter. When it foams, wipe it around the pan, then add less than ¼ cup of batter and swirl to cover the pan. Return to heat and let cook until batter loses its shine and becomes opaque, about 1 minute. Gently lift and flip and cook about 45 seconds more. Repeat with remaining batter. (Note: you generally don’t have to re-butter the pan after the first crêpe).

Stack crêpes between sheets of waxed paper. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one week. Or, wrap in plastic wrap and store in a freezer storage back for up to 3 months in freezer.

 

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