French Crêpes

This wonderfully easy crêpe recipe was given to me by a French exchange student. The recipe is her mother's and I feel so fortunate to have it to pass on to anyone wishing to learn how to make crêpes.

Crêpes are made with white flour and are used for desserts (or in the case of this decadent American, for breakfast also). Crêpes that are served as a main course are called galettes and us buckwheat flour. This whole grain flour makes a much more substantial crêpe.

Be brave and try to flip the crêpes - the whole family can get in on the action. If you tire from flipping the crêpes then you can easily turn them by sliding a heat proof spatula under the crêpe, lifting and flipping by hand.

The recipe is given to you as it came to me, in French. I have added the English directions in parentheses afterwards.

Ingredients

• ·500 gr de farine (approximately 2.2 cups of flour)
• ·une pincée de sel (a pinch of salt)
• 4 cuillères à soupe d'huile (4 tablespoons of oil)
• 6 œufs (6 eggs)
• 1 litre du lait ( approximately 4.2 cups of milk)
• du sucre en poudre (a small amount of sugar)

Directions

• Mélanger la farine et les oeufs et le sel (Mix the flour, eggs and salt)
• Ajouter petit à petit le lait (add the milk, little by little)
• puis l'huile et le sucre (then add the oil and 1 tsp – 1tab sugar)
• C'est prêt s'il n'y a pas de grumeaux! Sinon passer le tout au tamis. (If it is lumpy, pass it through a strainer.)

Heat a non-stick 10inch skillet over medium heat. Pour a bit of oil in a shallow dish and wipe the skillet with a paper towel dampened with the oil between each crepe that is made.

Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and tip the pan in a circular motion to cover the entire bottom of the skillet. Crepe will begin to look dry as it cooks. Use a spatula to lift the edge to check for cooking stage. You want the crepe to be only lightly golden. If it is ready to turn, you will be able to slide the crepe back and forth in the skillet when you "shake" the skillet back and forth. Either flip from the skillet or use a spatula to assist as you turn the crepe over.

Stack cooked crepes on a warm dinner plate and try not to eat them as fast as you cook them!

You can spread with Nutella (my favorite choice), powdered sugar, your favorite jam or fill with berries and top with whipped cream (please - no artifical frozen topping! )

Bon Appetit!