Description
JB’s Crêpes are classic French thin pancakes made with a simple batter of flour, eggs, milk, water, and oil. They are cooked in a non-stick pan with a touch of butter until golden and served with traditional toppings like icing sugar, berries, whipped cream, or Nutella. Perfectly soft, flexible, and easy to make, these crêpes are ideal for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups plain flour / all-purpose flour, sifted
- 3 tbsp caster sugar / superfine sugar
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3 large eggs (55g/2oz each, fridge cold is fine)
- 2 cups full fat milk (lite milk works too)
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or other neutral flavoured oil
For Cooking
- 45 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
For Serving
- Icing sugar (for sprinkling)
- Berries
- Whipped cream
- Melted chocolate or Nutella
Instructions
- Make the batter: Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the caster sugar and salt, then whisk together to combine evenly.
- Add eggs: Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs. Whisk gently, mixing in only a bit of the flour at first to form a thick paste.
- Add milk gradually: Slowly pour in the milk while whisking continuously to achieve a smooth, lump-free batter.
- Incorporate water and oil: Whisk in the water and vegetable oil until the batter looks glossy and is pourable, coating the back of a spoon lightly.
- Rest the batter: Cover the bowl and let the batter rest at room temperature for 1 hour. This helps the flour fully hydrate and results in tender crêpes.
- Prepare the pan: Heat a 24cm (9.5”) non-stick crêpe pan over medium-high heat. If using a different pan size, adjust batter quantity accordingly.
- Butter the pan lightly: Melt about 1/2 teaspoon of butter in the pan then wipe off the excess with a paper towel so only a thin film remains, avoiding visible pools of butter.
- Cook the crêpes: Using a ladle, scoop 1/4 cup batter into the center of the pan lifted off heat. Immediately swirl the pan to spread the batter thinly and evenly. Fill any gaps swiftly by tilting the pan.
- First side cooking: Cook the crêpe for 45 seconds to 1 minute until the underside is lightly golden.
- Flip and finish cooking: Flip the crêpe with a long spatula and cook the other side for about 30 seconds until lightly golden.
- Stack and repeat: Slide the cooked crêpe onto a plate and repeat the cooking process, adding butter before each crêpe to ensure they don’t stick and remain soft.
- Serve: Stack the warm crêpes. Serve rolled burrito style or folded into quarters with your choice of toppings such as icing sugar, berries, whipped cream, or Nutella.
Notes
- Note 1: Water and oil help achieve a smooth, glossy batter that is not too thick or too runny.
- Note 2: Resting the batter for 1 hour improves texture and makes crêpes more tender.
- Note 3: Using just a thin film of butter prevents crêpes from becoming greasy and helps with easy flipping.
- Note 4: Adjust cooking temperature if your stove runs hot to avoid burning the crêpes.
- Note 5: Swirling the pan immediately after pouring batter ensures even, thin crêpes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: crêpes, french pancakes, breakfast recipe, thin pancakes, JB's crêpes, easy crêpes, crepe batter
