7 Jul 2011

BREAKFAST CREPES

As most of you Crepe lovers know Crepes can be made with all kinds of things and eaten not just for breakfast.  Pancakes and waffles are so last year, crepes are lighter, tastier and all the rage at Casa Stamper! The kind I make often are the breakfast kind and they are surprisingly simple! I always use my blender to mix the batter, have a good non stick pan and non metal spatula handy for flipping.  I also make a non-flip bake Crepe (Crepe pie) that is even simpler.  The bake Crepe is great to make if you have brunch group to feed and don't want to stand over the stove flipping Crepes.  The ingredients for both recipes are the same; one is flipped & the other is baked.
Crepe recipe - makes about 5-6 if using a 9" pan (I usually double the recipe)
2 eggs
1/2 cup of milk 
1/2 cup of flour
1 tablespoon of sugar (optional)
1 tsp of flavoring like almond or vanilla extract (optional)
Put all ingredients in blender & mix
Traditional thin Crepes
Pour about 1/2 cup of batter in a buttered or oiled pan on med heat.  Its important to spread batter around in the pan to coat pan as thinly as possible.  I do this by lifting the pan & tilting pan so batter has evenly spread.  
Then cook until it starts to kind of bubble, is crisp at edges and cooked enough to flip.  Cook both sides so they are lightly fluffy and browned. 
Easy non-flip or bake Crepe pie
Pre-heat oven at 400, then put 3-4 tablespoons of butter in a non stick 9" pie dish.  Put pie dish with butter in oven for a minute or two, just till the butter is melted. 
Then pour entire crepe mixture in pie dish (2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk & 1/2 cup of flour).  I often will make 2 or more of the crepe 'pies' at a time.  I double or triple ingredients in blender then just put enough in each pie dish till they look even.  Cook for 5-10 minutes, until puffed up, crispy & brown on top.  
Its best served just out of the oven.  I put on a plate, cut into 8 pieces and sprinkle with lemon & sugar or just let guests put Nutella on.  

I prefer mine with lemon & sugar,  (I use regular or cane sugar, any will do).  My kids love Nutella on their Crepes.  My toddler loves Nutella too, so I try to only put a very little and mix it with peanut butter.  He hasn't yet figured out my trick.  They can be served with fresh fruit, whipped cream or even with ice cream for a desert.  Crepes are the national dish of France and served on most street corners from a cart or in a Creperie restaurant (which serve a variety of salty & sweet crepes with beer).  
Yummy!! 

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