Anyone can make perfect crepes if they have a crepes maker but not all of us have the funds for such a kitchen appliance (or the space to store yet another gadget). If you were a chef, you would also have a special large diameter crepe pan for the task, which was kept only for crepes, but that takes up space too and needs a spreading tool to make sure the batter reaches the sides and you end up with a smooth circular shape. So we are going to make do with a decent skillet that you can use for all kinds of cooking instead of splashing out our hard earned cash on a special crepe maker or pan.
1. Select Your Skillet
When selecting your skillet, get one with a good tough non-stick coating as this makes it much easier to release the crepes (and any other food you cook in it too) but don’t buy a cheap non-stick pan as you don’t want the coating to start flaking off all over your food. The other thing to watch out for is to select a pan with sloping sides if you can as it is then easier to slip the crepes out than if you have a pan with perpendicular sides. A fairly small pan works best as this allows you to spread the batter out by tipping from side to side before it cooks so that you end up with a circle shape rather than a mess.
2. Make Your Batter
Here is a crepe batter recipe by Delia Smith (a UK TV chef) that works for me every time for gorgeous thin crepes and pancakes.
- 4oz/110g plain flour (the kind used for bread is good)
- a pinch of salt
- 2 large eggs
- 7fl oz / 200ml milk with 3fl oz / 75ml water
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Sieve the flour into a bowl along with the salt getting as much air into it as possible. Break the two eggs into the center. Whisk the eggs into the flour with a fork, hand whisk or electric whisk making sure to pull in all the flour from the sides of the bowl. Gradually whisk in the milk and water mixture until all the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth. At this stage you can leave the batter to stand for a while but it is not necessary for great crepes or pancakes. When you are ready to cook the batter stir in the melted butter.
Crepes
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Note : If you have an electric crepe maker or one of the crepe maker gadgets you use on top of the stove, don’t follow this recipe, use the exact one that comes with your appliance as that one will have been specially tested to give you the best results with your crepe maker.
3. Cook Your Crepes
Pop a teaspoon of butter into the skillet over a gentle heat and melt it, wiping around loosely with a wad of kitchen roll so the whole pan is lubricated but not too greasy. Heat the pan further until very hot then turn down to medium. Add two tablespoons of batter and immediately tip the pan from side to side until it coats the whole base. After 30 seconds or so the crepe should be cooked on one side. Turn with a palette knife or fish slice to cook the other side for a free seconds then slip out onto a plate. Lubricate the pan again in the same way, before cooking another crepe.
4. Serving
Everyone has a different idea of a perfect crepe filling. Mine is a simple squeeze of fresh orange juice and a sprinkling of sugar but they are also great with savory fillings for a main meal. For some great recipe ideas, do a search online or pick up a great book full of crepe recipes. The one in the image above has recipes such as ham and gruyere crepes, crepes suzette, buckwheat crepes, chocolate and banana crepe torte.
See more crepes recipe books HERE.