Dessert Crepes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole milk

2 large eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing the pan during cooking



Special equipment: a 10-inch crepe pan or a 10-inch nonstick skillet, pastry brush, heat-resistant mixing spatula (silicon), 8 pieces of parchment paper to place between crepes to prevent sticking.

Preparation

Blend milk, eggs, flour, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and salt in a blender or food processer, scraping down side once or twice, until batter is smooth, about 1 minute. Pour into a pitcher or large measuring cup with spout. Let batter stand at room temperature 1 hour (this prevents tough crêpes).

Heat the skillet over moderate heat until hot, about 30 seconds, brush surface of skillet with melted butter sand wipe with paper towel, then pour 1/4 cup batter into skillet, tilting to coat bottom evenly.

Cook until underside is pale golden, 11/2 to 2 minutes. The edges will just be turning golden brown, then loosen the edges of the crêpe with a heat-resistant spatula and flip crêpe with the spatula.

Cook until underside is pale golden, 30 seconds. Transfer crêpe with spatula to a work surface or plate lined with parchment paper or foil, turning over so that side cooked first is facedown.

Repeat for remaining seven crepes, placing a piece of parchment paper between each crepe.

Crepes can be made ahead 2 to 3 days and refrigerated (bring to room temperature before filling)

Makes  about 8 crepes

Notes:  If this is your first time, make a double batch of batter.  Several things can go wrong during crepe making, but just make extra batter and keep trying till you get the hang of it.  You'll love the results. 

Too Hot Pan:  Your batter should sizzle just a bit when you add it to the pan, but if it bubbles up out of the pan, it is way too hot and the center will burn before the crepe is done. 

Too Much Batter:  You crepe will the thick, not a horrible mistake to make, but you won't get eight if they are all too thick and one of the great pleasures is the delicate balance of crepe texture and taste with the fillings and sauces, so a thin crepe works the best.  Use a measuring cup to measure out the batter until you get a good eye for how much you need for your pan.

Batter is Too Thick:  If you pour your batter into the pan and when you tilt it, it doesn't move, your batter is too thick.  Many things can cause this, but you'll just need to add a 2 tablespoons of milk at a time until you get your batter to the right consistency.  It should slowly spread when you tilt the pan.

Batter is Too Thin.  If your batterspreads immediately to the edges of the pan as you pour it in, its too thin.  Pour it back into the blender/processor and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of flour and mix.  Test the batter in a pan and if still too thin add another 2 tablesppons.  Do not add too much flour as it will change the ration to the other ingredients and the texture and flavor of the crepes.

Trying to Turn Too Soon: Be patient.  Wait for the edges to start to turn brown and crispy and the surface of the crepe to become opaque.

Flipping and Ripping:  You do not turn crepes like pancakes.  You want to use the spatula and slip it underneath the middle of the crepe and lift straight up (the sides will be drooping down), then flip quickly.  It takes a little practice, but even if the crepe rips, it will still tates great and you can just cover the ripped part up with sauce and it will look beautiful.

Tilting the Pan:  Once you pour in the batter, its just a twist of the wrist to tilt the pan slowly in a circle to evenly spread the batter out.  A good method to try is to point your thumb up as you're holding the pan and draw a circle with your thumb in the air counter-clockwise.  If you tilt it all to one side and its not a round crepe, just roll that side under when serving.  The more you do it, the better you'll get at it.

Parchment versus waxed paper.  I don't recommond using waxed paper to keep the crepes from sticking to gether as you make them, they are quite hot coming out of the pan and if the wax melts, it could affect the taste of your crepe and I'm not sure how healthy that would be.  If you have a GFS (Gordon Food Supply) store near you, they carry a 50 pack of  commercial-sizesheets, that I cut to fit my cookie sheets and then cut into squares to place between the crepes, but Amazon. has a source for sheets as well.

Don't be discouraged by all the notes, I want to make sure that you have all the info you need to be a successful crepe maker. Making crepes is one of the best things to learn how to cook, since you can make them into a main dish with a savory filling, like creamed or curry chicken or a dessert crepe filled with cherries or ice cream or cheesecake fillling. The variations are limited only by your imagination. They're great to make ahead and warm for a quick dinner for yourself or guests. Crepes can make even the most ordinary of days special.