Crepe Basics

I’ve received quite a few questions about preparing crepes. I’ve also noticed from some comments that people are a little hesitant about making crepes. I used to feel the exact same way! But let me assure you, it really is SO easy.

For convenience sake, I’m going to post my crepe recipe agian here, just so you can have all the information in one spot.

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Basic Crepe Recipe

  • 6 eggs
  • 1 1/2 c. milk (or 2/3 c. powdered milk and 1 1/3 c. water)
  • 1 1/2 c. flour
  • 4 T. butter, melted
  • 1/4 c. sugar
  • 2 t. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 t. maple extract (optional)
  • 1/4 t. salt

1. Combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth, or mix in a blender.

2. Melt 1 t. butter in a skillet. Pour 1/4 – 1/3 c. batter into the center of the skillet, and lift and tilt skillet to spread over entire bottom. Cook until lightly browned (the top will start to look dry, especially around the edges). Flip and cook another 45-60 seconds, or until browned.

And the crepe tips that work for me:

  1. For really smooth crepes, I prefer to prepare the batter in a blender or even in my Kitchen-Aid. I can do a pretty good job with a whisk, but there are always going to be clumps I miss. That means lumpy crepes, and although they taste just as delicious, they don’t look as nice.
  2. I use an 8 inch skillet. It makes perfectly sized crepes.
  3. I melt some butter in the skillet for the first crepe and usually that’s enough to last throughout the whole batter.
  4. That first crepe is always my experiment one (or what I call the cook’s crepe). I use to test the heat of my skillet and to get my timing down for the remaining batter. Plus,  since it is going to absorb must of the butter, it gets a little too crispy to roll up like the other crepes. Personally, I like buttery, crispy crepes, so that’s what I nibble on while I make the rest.
  5. Crepes are pretty easy to read. As long as you keep the heat about medium, you can easily judge when to flip without burning the side that is cooking. The top of the crepe will appear dry, especially around the edges. The crepe in this picture is about 10 seconds away from being flipped. See how the edges are getting dry but the middle is still moist? That’s okay because that middle section will cook quickly once it’s flipped.
  6. p1012805

  7. Crepes are also very malleable. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve had a crepe tear  or fall apart when I flipped it.
  8. I use a spatula or a fork to flip the crepes. If I get a batch that is a little more stubborn, I’ll use both. I use the fork to begin lifting one edge of the crepe and then slide the spatula under to flip it.p1012806

The holes in that top crepe are from uneven skillet tilting while pouring the batter into the pan, not from tearing.

The above recipe is what I use for breakfast or dessert crepes. For savory crepes, I reduce the milk to 1 1/4 c. and leave out the sugar and extracts.

Stop by We Are THAT Family for more Works For Me Wednesday.

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Ham and Cheese Crepes

Crepes are so versatile. We like them with syrup, bananas foster sauce, or other sweet fillings for breakfast. They can be filled with a savory filling for dinners. Or they can be the base of a hot fudge sundae or chocolate sauce for dessert. The possibilities are endless.

Whenever I make crepes, I always make at least a double or triple batch so that I can have extras in the freezer for any of the above options. This dinner was the result of using up some of my freezer supply of both crepes and diced ham. It was great as a dinner but would also make a nice brunch dish.

Ham & Cheese Crepes
For the crepes:

  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 c. milk
  • 5 t. melted butter
  • 3/4 flour
  • 1/2 t. salt

1. Whisk together all of the ingredients.

2. Melt a bit of butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat (or spray with a no-stick cooking spray). Add just under 1/4 c. batter to the skillet. Lift and tilt the skillet so that the entire bottom of the skillet is covered with batter. Cook until the top begins to look dry, about 30-45 seconds. Flip and cook another 30-45 seconds. Makes about 12 crepes.
For the ham and cheese filling:

  • 3 T. butter or margarine
  • 3 T. flour
  • 1/2 t. each salt & pepper
  • 1 1/2 c. milk
  • 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
  • 3 T. mayonnaise
  • 2 T. mustard
  • 2 c. diced ham

1. Melt the butter or margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.

2. Whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil and let thicken. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until completely melted. Add the mayonnaise, mustard and diced.

To assemble:

1. Pour about 1/4-1/2 cup ham and cheese filling in the middle of each crepe. Roll up and place in a casserole dish. (Try to use up all of the ham for filling the crepes, leaving a little extra cheese sauce.)2. Pour any remaining cheese sauce over the crepes. Refrigerate until dinner or bake immediately at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

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