PB& J Crepe
Crêpes are classy, versatile…and easy. You can make savory ones to use as a substitute for toast (spread them with natural nut butter and organic jam to make an adult version of PB&J) or as a stand-in for an English muffin (top them with eggs and breakfast sausage). Fill them with cheese and seafood and then bake them to make the most unique casserole dish your dinner guests will have ever seen. Or you can make them suitable for desserts simply by adding a few tablespoons of sugar. Sauté fruit, fold it into the crêpe, and drizzle honey over the top for a sublime dessert. If you’re really daring, you can attempt Crêpes Suzette in your own kitchen: the crêpes are bathed in orange juice and orange liqueur and then set on fire. Talk about a spectacle!
Crêpes can be used in an endless number of ways. First, though, you’ll need to whip up a quick batch to have on hand. (You can refrigerate them for up to a week.) Two things are critical for crêpe-making: a good six-inch crêpe pan and a heat-resistant, flexible spatula. Once you’ve gotten some experience under your belt, you can make larger crêpes (the larger ones are more difficult to work with) and you might be able to dispense with the spatula in favor of old-fashioned flipping, but at the beginning, make sure you have a small pan and a spatula that won’t melt in the heat. If you have more than one six-inch non-stick pan, try using them all — two seemingly-identical pans might not behave the same way when it comes to crêpes. One of mine is absolutely terrible and never cooks the damned crêpes while the other pan makes a perfect one every time and doesn’t even need any oil. (I’m guessing that the second one transfers heat better and has fewer microscopic nicks in its surface.)
Basic Crêpe Batter (makes about 10 crepes)
1 cup flour (since crepes do not rely upon gluten to hold their shape, you can use any combination of any whole-grain flour that works for you)*
2 T. sucanat (only use if you want sweet crêpes; omit for savory crêpes)
Pinch sea salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk (can be dairy, rice, coconut, or nut milk–whatever you prefer)
2 T. melted butter OR extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for oiling the pan)
Combine flour(s), sucanat (if using), and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the center and add the eggs. Add the milk and butter and whisk everything together, starting in the center of the well. If you’re using gluten-free flours, you can energetically whisk for as long as you like until you have a perfectly smooth batter. If you’re using wheat-based flours, whisk a bit more gently. (The longer you whisk/beat/stir a wheat-based batter or dough, the more the gluten component of it forms. More gluten formation = a tougher end product. Gluten-free cooks don’t have to worry about that.)
Heat the crêpe pan over medium heat and add a few drops of oil or a pat of butter. Add a scant 1/4 cup of the batter and quickly tilt the pan so that the batter runs all over the bottom of the pan. Let it cook for about a minute or until the edges begin to curl back from the pan and are faintly brown. Use the spatula to lift the edge, then peek underneath to see if it’s golden brown. (Purists might consider this cheating, but I say all’s fair when it comes to making crêpes.) If it is, slide the spatula underneath the crêpe and wiggle it around until the crêpe is free of the pan. Use the spatula to flip the crêpe. Cook for another 30 seconds, then check to see if the pan-side-down side is brown. If it is, promptly slide the crêpe out onto a wire rack and let cool.
As you cook the crêpes, you may have to adjust the level of heat and the amount of butter you put in the pan since you don’t want the ever-hotter pan to burn your crêpes. Also, if your pan is showing some signs of wear, it may require a bit more butter. The most important thing in the process is do not walk away from the cooking crêpes — they burn very quickly. Now is not the time to start cleaning the mixing bowl.
Store crêpes in a tightly-closed container in the refrigerator. They’re wonderful served chilled or reheated, and remember: your imagination is the limit when it comes to topping/filling them.
Enjoy!
* You may wish to base your flour selection on whether you’re going to use your crepes in a sweet or savory setting. Bean flours, for example, are best for savory uses. Grain flours can be sweet or savory. Nut flours can be sweet or savory, but they’re probably not the best choice for making crepes because nut flours probably won’t be fine enough — crepes should be thin, delicate, and flexible (that makes them easier to flip and fill), so you want to use finely milled flours when making them. Cornmeal, for example wouldn’t be the greatest choice, but whole-grain corn flour would.
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