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Eric Akis: Wrap it up in a crêpe

These ultra-thin pancakes work well in both savoury and sweet dishes

French, slender, very flexible and just loves to get all dressed up …

No, that is not a personal ad. I’m talking about a crêpe, a thin pancake you can roll or fold into a variety of splendid creations.

Crêpes (unlike, say, flapjacks) also sound sophisticated. But the batter for crêpes is not difficult to make, they cook quickly and, with some practice and the right equipment, you’ll discover it doesn’t take long to make them. An added bonus is the batter for crêpes uses ingredients we usually have on hand — salt, eggs, flour, sugar, water, butter and milk.

In Jacques Pepin’s classic book, La Technique, he instructs you to mix them together, except the milk, until a smooth mixture is created. He then whisks in the milk to create a thin batter, which is what you’ll need to make thin crêpes. Mixing the other ingredients first and then adding the milk should ensure a lump-free batter.

Some recipes suggest you use a blender to make a smooth batter. I don’t — it’s less work to make the batter in a bowl than to clean a blender.

Most recipes specify the batter be set aside to rest an hour or more before using. This step allows any bubbles in the batter to dissipate. It also allows any gluten that may have developed when mixing the batter to relax, ensuring you have tender crêpes when cooked. It also ensures all the flour is properly dampened by the wet ingredients.

After resting, give the batter a gentle stir to ensure it has the same consistency top to bottom. That consistency should be like heavy cream. If it seems too thick, simply thin with a bit more water or milk.

You can cook crêpes in a heavy-for-its-size, well-seasoned, steel crêpe pan, available at cookware stores. You can also make them in a high-quality, non-stick pan.

Some prefer the former because its shallow lip makes it easier to flip the crêpe and believe its cooking surface gives the crêpe a nicer golden, lacy look. Others prefer to use a non-stick pan simply because there’s no issue with the crêpe sticking as it cooks. I’ve had success using both types of pans.

Before adding the batter to the pan, even if non-stick, most recipes ask you to lightly butter it to ensure the first crêpe comes out cleanly. After that, unless you are using a steel crêpe pan that does stick from time to time, you should not have to add any more butter to the hot and ready-for-action pan as the butter seeping out of the batter should ensure the remaining crêpes come out cleanly.

Before cooking the crêpes, make sure the pan is properly preheated so the batter quickly sets into a crêpe and turns golden on the bottom. Several sources said the pan is ready when a tiny drop of water added to it quickly bubbles and evaporates.

Once cooked, you can use the crêpes right away. The crêpes can also be made in advance and kept refrigerated a day or two until needed. If you do so, stack them on a plate as you cook them and once cooled to room temperature, tightly wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. There’s no need to layer them between wax or parchment paper as the fresh-cooked crêpes should not stick together, particularly if you let them warm up at room temperature 30 minutes before using.

Crêpes, tightly wrapped, can be frozen for up to three months. In this case, layer them between pieces of wax or parchment paper to make it easier to remove the amount needed.

As noted, crêpes can be used in a myriad of ways. Some can be simple, such as today’s plain crêpe recipe that can be dressed up for breakfast or brunch with butter and maple syrup or sugar. Others are a little more complex, such as my savoury recipe that sees those plain crêpes stuffed with ham, cheese and asparagus, and my irresistible dessert recipe, where the crêpes are adorned with orange-liqueur-spiked strawberries.

Plain Crêpes

Thin, French-style pancakes you can serve as is or use in other dishes, such as the two recipes that follow. The crêpes could also be frozen for another time. In fact, consider making a double batch so you’ll have a nice supply of them at the ready.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: About 70 seconds per crêpe

Makes: 12 to 13 (8-inch) crêpes

2 large eggs

1/4 cup water

1 tsp sugar

1 pinch salt

2 Tbsp (1/8 cup) butter, melted

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (2%) milk

• a little melted butter for cooking

Place eggs in a medium bowl and beat until yolks and whites are well blended. Whisk in the water, sugar, salt and 2 Tbsp butter. Gradually whisk in the flour until a completely smooth mixture forms. Whisk in the milk creating a thin batter.

Cover batter with plastic wrap, refrigerate and let stand for one hour or more. Give the batter a gentle stir to ensure it has the same consistency top to bottom.

Place a (8- or 9-inch) non-stick skillet or well-seasoned crêpe pan over medium heat. Coat the pan’s cooking surface with a tiny bit of melted butter. (You should have to do this only once to ensure the first crêpe is easy to flip. After that, the butter in the batter should ensure they easily do so.)

When the pan is hot, lift it up and use a small ladle to pour about 2 Tbsp of crêpe batter into the pan. Tilt and swirl the batter in the pan until it evenly coats the bottom of it. Cook the crêpe until it is almost dry on the surface and light golden on the underside, about 40 to 50 seconds. Use a thin spatula to flip the crêpe over and cook about 20 seconds on the other side.

Invert the crêpe on to a wide plate. Cook the rest of the batter, stacking the hot crêpes on the plate as you go along.

If serving crêpes right away for breakfast or brunch, heat the stack of crepes in the microwave a few seconds to ensure they are hot, and then divide among plates, folding them, if desired, in half or quarters. Top crêpes, as desired, with such things as butter, a sprinkling or drizzling of sugar or maple syrup, and fresh fruit, such as berries.

If using the crêpes in one of today’s recipes or other preparation, once cooked and cooled to room temperature, wrap the stack of crêpes and refrigerate until needed. Crêpes can be made a day or two before needed.

Crêpes with Ham, Asparagus, Swiss Cheese and Mustard Cream

Serve these rich and wonderful filled crêpes with a green salad and white wine.

Cooking time: About 40 minutes

Preparation time: About 35 minutes (includes time to make the crêpes but not the hour or more for the batter to rest)

Makes: 6 servings

For the filled crêpes

36 asparagus spears, tough lower stem snapped or cut off

12 paper-thin slices country or black forest ham (see Note)

1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese

12 plain crêpes

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook the asparagus in boiling water until bright green and just tender, about two to three minutes. Drain well, cool in ice-cold water, and drain well again. Dry asparagus on paper towel.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Set a crêpe on a work surface, with the most golden (prettiest) side facing down. Set a slice of ham on the crêpe. Arrange three asparagus spears in the centre of the crêpe, ensuring the tips of the asparagus extend slightly over one side of the crêpe (this will make the filled crêpe look more attractive once rolled.) Top asparagus with about 2 Tbsp of the cheese; sprinkle with pepper to taste.

Carefully, and tightly as possible, roll up the crêpe, sealing the asparagus, ham and cheese inside. Set on the baking sheet. Fill and roll remaining crêpes in this fashion, arranging them on the baking sheet as you go along.

Tent crêpes with foil and bake 20 minutes, or until they are piping hot. Plate the crêpes as described below.

For the sauce and to serve

1/3 cup white wine

1/2 tsp dried tarragon

2 cups (500 mL) whipping cream

2 Tbsp whole-grain Dijon mustard

1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

While the filled crêpes heat in the oven, place the wine and tarragon in a small to medium pot, bring to a simmer, and reduce wine to about 2 Tbsp. Pour in the cream, return to a simmer, and reduce until it lightly thickens and reduces to about 1 1/2 cups. (Keep an eye on the cream when bringing to a simmer to ensure it does not cook rapidly and bubble over the pot). Add the mustard and cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. (No need to add salt and pepper to the sauce, as the cheese and mustard will add a salty and spicy taste.)

To serve, when the filled crêpes are hot, set two on each of six plates. Top each crêpe with some of the sauce, sprinkle with parsley and serve.  

Note: Country or black forest ham can be bought in the deli of any supermarket. Be sure the ham slices are about the same diameter as the crêpe and cut thinly. If it’s too thick, you won’t be able to roll the ham inside the crêpe.

Crêpes with Boozy Strawberries

Tender, warm crêpes marvellously accented with orange-liqueur-spiked strawberries.

Preparation time: 35 minutes    

Cooking time: About 20 minutes (to cook crêpes)    

Makes: 4 servings  

12 to 16 small to medium strawberries, hulled and sliced

3 Tbsp icing sugar, or to taste

3 Tbsp orange liqueur, or to taste

1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

12 crêpes (see recipe, page C1)

• whipped cream, crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream to taste

4 mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Place the strawberries, icing sugar, orange liqueur and ginger in a bowl and gently toss to combine. Cover and let strawberries macerate at room temperature 30 to 60 minutes.

Fold each crêpe in half, and then in half again. Set crêpes on a large plate. Heat crêpes in the microwave 45 to 60 seconds, or until nice and warm. Set three folded crêpes on each of four plates.

Gently toss the strawberries again. Now top the crêpes with the strawberries and their liquid. Dollop or scoop some whipped cream, crème fraîche or ice cream alongside the crêpes. Garnish each plate with a mint sprig, if desired, and serve.