Recipes / Breakfast / French Ingredients Servings
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Quantities for 4 servings
150 g plain flour 3 large eggs 400 ml whole milk 50 g unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan 1 tbsp caster sugar (omit for savoury) 1/2 tsp fine sea salt 1 tbsp brandy or orange blossom water (optional) To serve: lemon and sugar, jam, or chocolate spread
The base is worth following fairly closely, but everything on top is yours. Change the fillings, herbs and garnishes freely, and use the method as your anchor rather than the exact list.
Method 1 Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl, make a well in the middle and crack in the eggs. Whisk from the centre outwards, drawing the flour in gradually — this makes a smooth paste before any milk goes in and is the easiest way to avoid lumps. 2 Add the milk in three or four additions, whisking smooth each time, then whisk in the melted butter and the brandy if using. The batter should be about the consistency of single cream. 3 Cover and rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour, ideally 2. This lets the flour hydrate fully and the gluten relax; unrested batter makes crêpes that tear when you try to lift them. 4 Stir the rested batter and check the consistency — it thickens as it sits, so loosen it with a splash of milk if needed. 5 Heat a 22–24 cm non-stick or crêpe pan over medium heat and wipe it with a butter-soaked piece of kitchen paper. Barely greased is right; a pool of butter makes the batter slide rather than spread. 6 Lift the pan off the heat, pour in a small ladleful and immediately swirl it so the batter coats the base in a thin, even layer. Pour any excess back — speed matters here, because the batter sets almost on contact. 7 Cook for 45–60 seconds, until the edges lift and turn golden and the surface looks dry, then flip with a palette knife or your fingers and give it 20–30 seconds on the other side. 8 Stack the crêpes directly on top of each other on a warm plate. Unlike waffles, they stay pliable and soft this way, which is exactly what you want. Tap a step to cross it off. Your place is saved on this device.
Cook’s notes The first crêpe is a write-off in every kitchen in France. It seasons the pan.
For savoury galettes, leave out the sugar and replace a third of the flour with buckwheat.
The batter keeps for 2 days in the fridge and is arguably better on day two.
How it should look Photos of the finished dish, so you know what you’re aiming for.
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