We love crêpes for breakfast, lunch, and they’re even acceptable for dinner. It’s one of those meals that always gets a resounding YAY from my kids. It may take them 30 minutes to finish a regular meal, including complaints and coaxing, but they can work their way though a stack of these babies in 5 minutes flat. There are three things I always hear when manning the crêpe pans: 1. I get the next one 2. Don’t finish the Nutella!, and 3. I think I can eat one more… usually followed by - actually, maybe just ONE more. Then there’s always the competition of who ate the most and the comparison of how many were devoured compared to last time. In fact, I think it’s safe to say that Crêpe eating is a sport in our household, with a rotating trophy and mandatory victory lap around the block, with the dog, to work it all off.
We love crêpes with both sweet and savory toppings, but today we’re concentrating on sweet because we just need a little sugar love in our lives. Berries and Nutella are, hands down, the favorites here - but the sky is the limit! All you need is one, or two, non-stick pans. Two is obviously quicker, and once you have a rhythm going, you can crank out a double batch of these in 20 minutes. The challenge is making them faster than they’re being eaten, and remember to hold some back for yourself! A happy family - guaranteed! xoxo Kirsty
Ingredients for 8-10 crêpes
1 cup (150g) unsifted self-raising flour (or regular flour plus 1 teaspoon baking powder)
2 eggs
2 cups (1/2 liter) milk, preferably whole
pinch of salt
Butter for frying
Nutella, cinnamon sugar, fresh berries, lemon & sugar, syrup, jam etc. for toppings!
Put the flour in a large bowl, make a well in the middle. Add the eggs, milk and pinch of salt. Use a whisk to combine the eggs and milk in the well, then continue stirring outward, incorporating the flour bit by bit until just combined, a few lumps are fine. Allow the batter to rest for at least 10 minutes.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat (we used a 10-inch/ 25cm wide pan), allow it to heat up for a minute or so. Put a cube of butter on a fork and swipe it all over the pan, it should melt immediately. Use a ladle to pour about 1/4 cup (60ml) of batter on the pan. Immediately lift the pan and swirl it around so that the batter distributes evenly on the bottom. You’re aiming for a thin layer.
When the bottom is a nice, golden color, use a spatula to flip the crêpe over. If you’re really skilled, you can flick the pan and hope that it flips over in the air. I’ve never managed this without disastrous (and hilarious) results, but go for it if you’re feeling brave! Cook it on the second side for another 30 seconds or so until golden, then transfer to a plate, and cover with foil.
Stack the crêpes on the plate and keep warm in a low oven, or serve immediately to a hungry crowd. You can heat them up individually in a skillet, pop them in the microwave or stack a few, wrap in foil and warm at 350F (180C) for 8-10 minutes. Enjoy topped with whatever your heart desires!
