Chef Anne Mooney - Orlando, FL
Adapted by A Restaurant Directory dot Com
July 2009

Yield: Makes approximately 20 six-inch crepes.

Allow two six-inch crepes per appetizer or dessert serving, and four crepes per entrée serving. You can substitute olive or other oil for the butter in savory crepes, but the flavor will be slightly different. For dessert crepes, the flavor imparted by butter is essential.

Ingredients - Basic Savory Crepes:

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons butter to coat the pan
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup all purpose flour, preferably bleached
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons butter to coat the pan
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon rum or liqueur (optional)

Method:

The method for both crepe batters is exactly the same.

Combine all ingredients, except the 2 to 3 teaspoons of butter, in a blender or food processor and process until the batter is smooth. Allow the batter to sit undisturbed for at least 30 minutes or up to two days. Refrigerate batter that will sit for more than one hour. If batter thickens while sitting, add water until batter consistency is that of heavy cream. The cooked crepes should be paper thin.

Heat crepe pan over medium heat and coat the bottom surface with about 1/2 teaspoon of butter or pan is hot but not smoking, lift the pan from the heat and tilt it slightly. Using a ladle or a small measuring cup, pour about 3 tablespoons of batter into the pan, beginning at the top edge, rotating the pan so that the batter evenly coats the bottom surface. Return pan to heat. When the top surface of the crepe becomes dry and the bottom is an even golden brown, in about one minute, quickly loosen the crepe around the edges with a table knife or a spatula and turn the crepe. The easiest way to turn a crepe, if you can stand the heat, is to grasp it between thumb and forefinger and flip it. Otherwise, use your spatula. Cook second side of crepe until golden spots form, about 20 seconds. The second side will not achieve the uniform brown of the first side, which is known as the “face” of the crepe.

Place crepe on a dinner plate or other flat surface to cool. Continue the process until you have used all the batter, buttering the pan as necessary. You can handle freshly cooked crepes more easily if you do not stack them directly on top of one another. You can make a neat stack later, after they have cooled.

Use crepes immediately or store for future use. You can refrigerate them for up to three days or freeze for up to two months. Warm frozen or refrigerated crepes slightly before attempting to separate them.