Crêpes come from France where they are are so popular that there is a special holiday in the first week of February called as La Chandeleur or Crêpe Day. It is a day dedicated to 'Crêpes' and a very superstitious day for the French. Many homes in France celebrate the day by making Crêpes at home on this day.

My fascination with French crêpes goes all the way back to when my son was in junior school. One weekend I made Crêpes for him and served with a good sprinkle of granulated sugar and a generous drizzle of lemon juice. My husband, son and myself sat on the deck of our house facing the playing fields and enjoyed our first taste of crêpes with a glass of steaming hot tea. We simply love these delicious crêpes. Fast forward 2021, I still make these crêpes at home and we generally enjoy them served the original way, with a good drizzle of freshly squeezed lemon juice and sugar. These crêpes are very easy to make and easy to fill. They are so versatile that you can have them for breakfast, lunch or dinner with either sweet or savoury fillings. They also make delicious desserts when served with different sauces eg., crêpe suzette.

A crêpe is a thin, lightly golden, delicate looking pancake that has a frame of a little laciness around the edges. I like to think that a crêpe can easily be creased to look like a lacy coaster. Crêpes are similar to pancakes and can be a street food or served in a five-star restaurant. They are larger than American pancakes and can be filled with either sweet or savoury fillings. They are very quick to cook and can be stacked and served warm all at once allowing you that special time to be at the table with your loved ones.

Crêpe batter is just a thin pancake batter of eggs, flour and liquid without any baking soda or baking powder to leaven it and should be of pouring consistency. The most important thing is to rest the batter at least for 1 hour before frying the crêpes. Resting enables the gluten in the flour to relax and expand as it absorbs the liquid. Resting also helps produce paper-thin and airy pancakes that are flexible enough to roll or stuff with filling.

These crêpes are inspired by a basic crêpe recipe I saw in Super Food from Australia’s Leading Test Kitchens, a magazine so dear to me, that I have been referring to for over 15 years. My son is obsessed with these crêpes ever since the first time I made them for him. Thanks to the Super Food Magazine and their easy recipe, I have been making crepes for my family for over a decade, albeit with different toppings and filling.

Though a proper crêpe pan or crapiere is made of iron, non-stick surfaces make it much easier. The pan should have a flat surface so the crêpe can form well and cook evenly. I use my RACO Contemporary 24cm (9") non-stick crêpe pan which I bought on special for $29.95. It is induction suitable and dishwasher safe. This pan gives me the desired results every single time. It is worth the investment, particularly if you intend making crêpes from time to time. If you are making crêpes for the first time, do not be disheartened if it does not turn out perfect. The first one is usually a dodgy one for most who have tried making crêpes.

RACO Contemporary 24cm non-stick crêpe pan.

The key to perfect crêpe lies in the tilting and twirling of the pan. Slowly heat the pan on medium heat and lightly brush with melted butter. Pour approximately ¼ cup batter into the pan. Working quickly, pick up pan, tilt and then rotate the pan once or twice until the batter is spread evenly. This results in a uniform layer of batter and a consistently cooked crêpe. Tilting the pan will help the gravity spread the batter. Allow to cook for 1 - 2 minutes or until the bottom is golden. Do not flip too early. Flip crêpe by inserting a thin spatula into the centre of the pan and cook for 30 seconds. The second side will not brown the same way as the first.

Transfer the crêpe to a plate and grease the pan before cooking next crêpe. Continue cooking the remaining batter in the same fashion, stacking the crêpes on top of one another. After cooking the first couple of crêpes, you may need to reduce heat slightly if the pan starts to get too hot. You will get 10 crêpes with this amount of batter. Wrap in a clean tea towel, cover with clip wrap to keep the crêpes moist and soft till ready to serve.

Video of the tilt and twirl technique

First, slowly heat pan over medium heat. Brush lightly with melted butter. Pour quarter cup batter into the pan. Working quickly, lift pan, tilt and twirl to spread the batter evenly. Cook 1-2 minutes or until the top of the crepe loses its wet appearance and the underside is lightly browned. Then flip and cook for 30 seconds on the other side or until it has begun to colour!!

Bon Appetit!

• The original way - Serve them straight out of the pan with lashings of freshly squeezed lemon and a dusting of granulated sugar. Its a fruity bite of lemon juice and the tickly crunch of sugar that makes them totally and utterly moreish. Believe me, its hard to stop at one or two!!.
• Serve brushed with butter followed by a sprinkling of granulated sugar.
• Serve with your favourite sweet or savoury fillings and toppings such as fresh berries, coconut flakes, banana slices or with your favourite sauces such as orange sauce, berry compote or caramelized Granny Smith Apples or pineapples or even caramelised pears.
• Crepes can be eaten with savoury fillings such as mushroom and cheese, ham and avocado, omelette etc., from breakfast, lunch or dinner.
  
• I like my crepes with canned Black Cherry Sauce as you can make this sauce all year round. I buy my canned cherries from my local Woolworths supermarket. Canned black cherries work well and give a beautiful purple colour when used as a topping for the lacy crepes.