Secrets To Making Crêpes

Tori Ritchie: French Treats Easy To Prepare, Versatile, Delicious!

(CBS)  Crêpes may sound like fancy French food, but the thin pancakes are simple enough for anyone to handle, insists cookbook author and cooking teacher Tori Ritchie.

In The Early Show's "Five-Minute Cooking School" Thursday, Ritchie set out to demystify crêpes, which she says are not only delicious, but incredibly versatile. They're good for both sweet and savory recipes.

A crêpe is a type of very thin cooked pancake usually made from wheat flour. The word, like the pancake itself, is of French origin, deriving from the Latin "crispa," meaning "curled."

May people are intimidated by the prospect of preparing crêpes at home, but Ritchie says they needn't be: Crêpes are easy to make. Doing so doesn't require any special skills.

It doesn't even require a special pan. A simple, non-stick skillet will do just fine, Ritchie says.

She held her class in the flagship store in Manhattan of specialty home furnishings retailer and The Early Show partner Williams-Sonoma.

RECIPES

Basic Crêpes

These crêpes can be used with a variety of sweet or savory fillings. They're the perfect foundation for souffléd crêpes.

1 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/2 Tbs. melted unsalted butter, plus 8 tsp. butter
1/2 tsp. salt

In a blender, combine the milk, egg, flour, the 1/2 Tbs. melted butter and the salt and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours.

In a crêpe pan over medium heat, melt 1 tsp. of the butter to coat the pan evenly. Lift the pan at a slight angle and pour 2 Tbs. of the batter into the center, tilting the pan to spread the batter to the edges. Return the pan to the heat and cook until the crêpe is golden underneath, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the crêpe over and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Makes 8 crêpes.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

Black Pepper Crêpes with Goat Cheese and Tomatoes

Refrigerating the batter helps produce exceptionally tender crêpes because, as the batter chills, the flour expands and absorbs the liquid. You can cook the crêpes in advance, then fill and broil them just before serving.

1 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. canola oil
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
1/2 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
8 tsp. unsalted butter
4 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
4-oz. log of goat cheese (chèvre), crumbled

In a blender, combine the milk, egg, flour, oil, the 1 tsp. pepper and the 1⁄2 tsp. salt and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours.

In a crêpe pan over medium heat, melt 1 tsp. of the butter to coat the pan evenly. Lift the pan at a slight angle and pour 2 Tbs. of the batter into the center, tilting the pan to spread the batter to the edges. Return the pan to the heat and cook until the crêpe is golden underneath, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the crêpe over and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover. Repeat to make 8 crêpes.

Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and preheat. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

On a clean work surface, lay a crêpe flat. Put one-eighth of the tomato slices on the crêpe and top with one-eighth of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the crêpe into quarters and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining crêpes and filling. Broil until the crêpes are golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Serves 4.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

For more recipes, go to Page 2.

[sevenveils]

Great topic

I think the recipe is a bit off and will result in a heavy chewy crepe Use 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup water and, if you wish, use 2 eggs. Reduce salt a pinch, but no more than a 1/4 teaspoon.

Do not over blend, a few quick pulses of the blender is all you need. Too much blending and the glutton level will rise making for a real chewy crepe.

2 tablespoons of batter is good for a 10 inch pan, adjust the batter so it just coats the bottom of the pan. If you have too much batter in the pan pour the excess out, back into your bowl.

If you are not using a non-stick pan double the amount of butter in your batter.

[canaima]

D'Oh! No kidding, alanlafleur?

[alanlafleur]

Crepe sounds like krape not krap