Crêpes bretonnes
The Breton crêpe is an absolute crowd-pleaser from the northwest of France. It is often prepared with buckwheat flour instead of wheat flour. We posted the basic recipe for crêpes below along with various variations and serving recommendations.
Are you vegan? Let us surprise you during our Vegan Food Tour in Brittany with vegan crêpes.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Walking time for the dough: 1 hour
Difficulty: very easy
Results in 12 crêpes
Ingredients:
- 250g of wheat flour
- 50g of melted butter (no oil – the Bretons cook with butter!)
- 50cl of whole milk
- 10cl of water
- 4 large or 5 small eggs
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- 1 crêpe pan (alternatively: non-stick pan)
Actually, the real Breton crêpes are made with a special flour, farine de sarrasin, buckwheat flour has similar properties.
Preparation
Add the flour and salt to the large glass bowl. Whisk the eggs and add those too.
Mix everything well so that there are no lumps. Gradually add the milk and stir in with a whisk. Then add the water in the same way. Add melted butter and stir in – a smooth dough should be formed. Leave the crêpe dough to rise at room temperature for about an hour. Butter the pan on a heated stove and pour in 1 ladle of dough, distributing it evenly across the pan. Fry for approx. 2 minutes, turn with a spatula and fry for a further 2 minutes.
Tip: To make the dough particularly light and fluffy, separate the egg whites from the yolks, beat the egg whites until very stiff and fold in at the end. Here is the quickest and easiest way to separate eggs: www.youtube.com/separate-egg-yolk
As we already mentioned, that was a basic recipe that can be changed at will. The only important thing is to maintain the ratio between flour and liquid.
Here are some possible variations:
- Replace 1/3 of the milk with tap water, beer or cider. This slightly reduces the dough's rising time.
- Replace the wheat flour with buckwheat or chestnut flour.
- Refine the dough with orange blossom water or rum.
Crêpes taste best when topped with sugar cane and a dash of lemon juice or with a little melted butter and honey. Or how about a hearty variation? – A teaspoon of Guérande sea salt and some pepper. Or you can create your own favourite crêpes – there are no limits to the imagination!
Bon appétit!