Piece of life
There must not be a single French family that does not perpetuate this culinary tradition [that began in the 13th century in the french region of Bretagne]. And my family is no exception. I enjoy preparing them on Sunday morning for my little family.
About the french crepes recipe
This recipe is easy-peasy. The classic recipe uses wheat flour [for the sweet version], eggs and milk. However, you will find as many recipes as there are families, each one with its own version. In my family we add a little rum, it’s optional but I love it.
Whether it’s salty or sweet, the final touch comes from the garnish. Here are some ideas for sweet toppings : jam, honey, chocolate spread, caramel [especially the salted one, so good], fresh fruit, whipped cream, maple syrup… The possibilities are endless. My favorite ? Simply sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.
How to spread the crepe batter ?
You just have to get the hang of it and once you understand the trick, it’s super easy. Here’s a little video to show you how it works.
Alternatives
Milk
Traditionally, the crepes are made with cow’s milk [I use semi-skimmed, or 2 % in Quebec, otherwise you can use whole milk]. But it is quite possible to use plant-based milk instead [warning: it will not be vegan since there are eggs], my preference for this recipe is oat milk.
Flavorings
It is possible to flavour the pancake batter. In my case, I add a bit of rum, but you could choose vanilla, orange blossom water, or another alcohol for example.
To have fun with the kids
The kids love to help me make the crepes. One day, to amuse them, I coloured part of the batter with cocoa powder. Then we draw some drawings on our crepes [warning: I now have to make decorated crepes every time, the kids have become exigent].
How to do it? Take part of the batter and add cocoa powder [enough to colour the batter]. I put it in a bottle with a fine nozzle [like those used in cooking for sauces]. Before making the crepe, draw a shape with the cocoa paste in the bottom of the pan, wait a few seconds for it to set and form your crepe generally on top. The design will soak into the crepe.
How to avoid lumps ?
Use a blender! Put all the ingredients together then mix until you have a smooth batter.
Organizational tips
We usually eat crepes on Sunday morning. Therefore I prepare the crepe batter the night before and leave it in the fridge overnight. That way it’s ready to be cooked when I get up.
Easy French crepes
Ingredients
- 500 g flour (2 cups)
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 L milk (cow or plant-based)
- rum optional or another flavour (vanilla, orange blossom…)
- butter to grease the pan
Instructions
- Pour the flour into a bowl. Add the salt and sugar.
- Add the eggs one after the other, mixing in between each.
- Gradually add the milk until you have a smooth paste. Add the rum (about two caps, or 1 tbsp).
- Allow the batter to rest for 1 hour (or more, to eat them at breakfast I often prepare it the night before and leave it in the fridge overnight).
- Heat a flat pan over medium heat and grease it with butter. Pour a ladleful of the batter while rotating the pan to spread it over the entire surface. Cook for about 1 minute and then turn over to the other side. Cook for about 1 minute more. Repeat with all the batter.
- Serve the crepes with cinnamon sugar (my favourite), jam, maple syrup, chocolate spread, fruit… whatever you like.
