The first time I made crêpes I thought I had failed.  I had never had them before.  I followed the recipe precisely and was very disappointed in the result.  I could not imagine that anyone would want to eat little soggy pieces of warm dough.  According to a friend from Brittany, those first crêpes I had made were perfect, just as they should be.  Since that first experience I have learned to love little soggy pieces of warm dough, particularly when filled with something yummy.

Now please, crêpes can have a lot more going for them than the huge piles of fake whipped cream and frozen strawberries with a crêpe on top that are sold at a lot of outdoor events here in the U.S.  A crêpe can be filled with either sweet or savory fillings, they may be rolled or folded, with the filling inside or they may be simply served with a light dusting of powdered sugar.  Crêpes may be served as an appetizer, an entrée or a dessert.

They can be a bit tedious to make.  The good news is, they may be made hours in advance and then reheated by their fillings and sauces.  DO NOT however follow the instructions in some cookbooks and try to store them with a piece of wax paper between each one.  You will end up with a crêpe and wax paper sandwich that cannot be pried apart.  The oil from the pan you cooked them in is ample to keep them from sticking together. 

If you really get into making crêpes you will want to get one good non stick pan about 6 or 7 inches in diameter that you dedicate to that use only.  Do not allow anyone else to use it for any other purpouse.  For really perfect crêpes, you should make your batter at least an hour before you need to use it.  This allows the flour to absorb the liquid and expand to its fullest.  You may still find that as you work you will need to thin the batter a wee bit with more milk. 

1 cup all-purpose flour

A pinch of salt

A pinch of sugar

3 egg

1 cup of milk

1 cup water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted and cooled butter

Oil for frying, (not butter)

Combine all ingredients except frying oil, mix thoroughly (a blender is fine) and allow to sit for at least an hour, or even overnight.

Place your pan over a moderate heat and wipe it with oil.  Pour in a small ladle full of batter and swirl to spread evenly.  Allow to cook for about 2 minutes or until small bubbles form on the surface of the crêpe.  With a spatula lift one edge and check the color.  It should be a pale golden brown.  If it is, gingerly turn the crêpe.  I fine I have more success if I actually pick up the edge with my fingers and flip it.  Allow to cook on the second side for another one or two minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from the pan and lay flat on a plate.

You are going to have to make several test crêpes to get the temperature of the pan just right.  It will also take a bit of practice to determine just how much batter is needed for a perfect crêpe.  Remember, you are not making American flap jacks.  A perfect crêpe is very thin with tiny bubbles through it, almost like lace.

A technique I have developed for getting just the right amount of batter into the pan is to, once I have experimented and gotten the pan the right temperature, is to pour a ladle full of batter into the pan, swirl to coat the pan evenly, allow it to cook for several seconds, just until some of the batter on the bottom has set, then to carefully tip the pan and pour the excess batter back into my bowl.  There will or course be a little tale of batter up the side of the pan where you poured.  Just cut it off before you flip the crêpe over.

Yes, I told you it was a bit tedious, but the salvation is that you can make them in advance, even the day before, at your leisure when you are not under pressure, set them aside and fill them when you need them.  Good luck.