When I was in college, I did a study abroad semester in Rennes, in France, where I developed a taste for crepes, galettes, and dry alcoholic cider. My host mother there taught me how to make crepes, and while I brought home a recipe book I have a tendency to improvise while I’m making them. So when my sister MC asked me to make a comic about how to make crepes, I had to go into the kitchen and make them again to make sure I had the details down. Good news: this recipe is still good! and I got to eat some crepes while I was figuring it out.
So, tricks and tips! Your first one or two will probably break when you flip them; don’t give up! (they are perfect for nibbling on while you’re making the rest of the batch.) You’ll need to experiment a little with your timing, the consistency of the batter and the heat of the pan. You’ll burn your fingertips a little, but the pain is definitely worth it. Be quick, be patient, be vigilant, and you’ll have them down in no time.
And once you get crepes under your belt, may I recommend moving on to galettes? In Brittany, they’re savory crepes made with buckwheat and salt, and usually filled with delicious things like cheese, ham, fried eggs, and chopped vegetables, and they really are amazing, especially paired with some cidre brut or a kir Breton.
My friends had never seen this before, and thought I was insane because they’d only seen it done on those round hotplate things. I’ve been making crepes like this since I was 5, they’re what we make for christmas day foods.
After finding out that I was allergic to dairy (joy hives) I found this christmas that it’s possible to make them with water instead of milk. They taste significantly more eggy of course, but I fixed it a little vanilla extract to the point of not minding. With all the breakfast goodies added I couldn’t tell the difference.
I just made some almond milk and this is the perfect thing to use it in. It is crepe monday for sure!
Over here in the Netherlands we have our Dutch pancakes, which are a bit thicker than crepes and thinner than your American pancakes.
We bake them with slices of bacon in them and top them with cheese and drizzle syrup on them :D
All over the country you get pancake restaurants, mostly visited by people with small children :P I bake these regularly for my 2-year old.
@Marina: WHAT. That sounds amazing!! It also sounds like the original Bacon Pancakes! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxVvKb0fGAY
Love that song!
Here are some images to drool over :)
https://www.google.com/search?q=pannenkoek+met+spek&hl=en&tbo=d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=52P0UIPcDKWb1AXg4IHQBA&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAA&biw=1366&bih=643
OH boy. I want pancakes. We’ve got snow and I really want something comforting and sweet to counteract it…. thank you for this! *Dinner Planned*