Characterized by their classic simplicity and elegance, crêpes originate from France, specifically the Brittany region. The name itself comes from the Latin term crispus (curled), which suggests that the love for French pancakes may be much older than history records. Made from either white or whole wheat flour, these thin, delicate pancakes are lightly browned on both sides and folded into waves of flavor, offering a delightful treat at any time. (In my case, they often occurred around midnight, and I couldn’t resist the temptation! 😀 However, the ones I present today were, by chance, breakfast.)
Ingredients:
500 ml milk
4 eggs
A pinch of salt
50 g sugar
200 g flour
A splash of Grand Marnier or orange juice
3 teaspoons room-temperature butter
100 ml sparkling water (optional for a lighter texture)
Seeds from one vanilla pod or vanilla paste
For the filling:
Mascarpone mixed with sugar and lemon zest
Preparation:
Pour the milk into a bowl, crack the eggs, and add them to the milk. Whisk them gently together. Next, add the salt, sugar, vanilla, alcohol or lemon juice, and the softened butter. Finally, mix in the flour, continuing to whisk until small bubbles form on the surface. Add the sparkling water and whisk one more time.
Refrigerate the batter for at least half an hour before use. When ready, use a ladle to pour a portion of the batter into a non-stick crêpe pan, allowing it to cook until the edges begin to lift, indicating it’s time to flip it over. Once cooked, place it on a plate and fill it with your choice of jam, chocolate, cheese, honey, or fruits. This time, I chose to fill them with mascarpone (mixed with a bit of sugar and lemon zest) and strawberries.
To maintain the classic elegance of the crêpes, if you don't want to end up with a mountain of pancakes that may dry out or lose their freshness, you can follow my method: make four or five crêpes from the batter—enough for a serving—and refrigerate the remaining batter. It will be just as good the next day, allowing you to enjoy fresh, warm French crêpes again! 🙂
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