Description
JB’s Crêpes are delicate, thin French pancakes perfect for a sweet or savory treat. These crêpes boast a smooth, tender texture achieved with a simple batter of flour, eggs, milk, and a touch of sugar, cooked lightly in butter for a golden finish. Ideal for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, they can be served with a variety of toppings like fresh berries, whipped cream, melted chocolate, or a dusting of icing sugar for an authentic French experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups plain flour / all-purpose flour, sifted
- 3 tbsp caster sugar / superfine sugar (regular white sugar is fine too)
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3 large eggs (55g/2oz each in shell), fridge cold is fine
- 2 cups full fat milk (also works with lite milk)
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or other neutral flavoured oil
For Cooking and Serving
- 45 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (for cooking)
- Icing sugar (for dusting)
- Berries, whipped cream, melted chocolate or Nutella (optional toppings)
Instructions
- Prepare the batter: In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, caster sugar, and salt to ensure no lumps. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, water, and vegetable oil until fully combined. Gradually pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients while whisking continuously to form a smooth, lump-free batter. Let the batter rest for at least 10 minutes to hydrate the flour and improve texture.
- Heat the pan and melt butter: Warm a non-stick or crepe pan over medium heat. Add a small cube of unsalted butter to the pan and let it melt evenly, coating the surface to prevent sticking and add flavor.
- Cook the crêpes: Pour a small ladle (approximately 1/4 cup) of batter into the center of the pan, immediately tilting and swirling the pan in circular motions to spread the batter into a thin, even layer. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes until the edges start to lift and the underside is golden brown. Flip the crêpe carefully using a spatula and cook the other side for 30 seconds to 1 minute until lightly browned. Repeat this process for the remaining batter, adding butter as needed to keep the pan greased.
- Serve with toppings: Stack the cooked crêpes on a plate, dusting them lightly with icing sugar. Serve warm with your choice of toppings such as fresh berries, whipped cream, melted chocolate, or Nutella for a delicious, authentic French presentation.
Notes
- Using cold eggs is fine and helps keep the batter fresh.
- You can substitute full fat milk with lite milk for a lighter version, though full fat yields a richer taste.
- Resting the batter for 10 minutes improves the texture by allowing the flour to fully absorb the liquids.
- Keep the heat medium to avoid burning the crêpes and achieve a perfect golden color.
- If the batter becomes too thick after resting, add a splash of milk to thin it out before cooking.
- Variety of toppings can include lemon juice and sugar, jam, or savory fillings if preferred.
