Who doesn’t love a good crepe? These French delicacies are a delicious, thin pancake-like pastry that can be filled with sweet and salty things alike. The one we’ll be making for this particular crepe recipe is dairy-free, but you can hardly taste the difference. Bon appetit!
For these crepes you will need:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon oil (I recommend vegetable)
- 2 cups almond milk (or oat milk if allergic to nuts)
Toppings and fillings
- Strawberries
- Bananas
- Apples
- Nutella
- Peanut butter
- Hot fudge
- Ice cream
- Chopped nuts
- Whipped cream
- Powdered sugar
In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar and salt. Then, add eggs, oil and vanilla extract into the same bowl. Gradually add the almond milk and continue to whisk until smooth. Once you’ve added all of your milk and have a smooth, lump-free batter, set your bowl to the side.
Now that the batter is complete, it’s time to heat up the pan. I used a stainless steel pan with about an 8-inch diameter, but any size works fine.
While some people opt out of greasing the pan, this is a very important step in the recipe. Regardless of whether the pans are nonstick or not, you still have to grease them to avoid having any residue stuck at the bottom. I did this by spraying my pan with cooking oil right before pouring the batter in and again, if I needed to add more batter in later on.
You’ll know your crepes are done when the sides start to curl and you see golden brown spots all over the middle.
Samantha Bailey | The Montclarion Photo credit: Samantha Bailey
It’s also important that the pan be kept at a low heat to avoid having the crepes cook too quickly and eventually burn. With that being said, the flame also needs to be hot enough so that the batter can effectively coat the bottom and cook properly.
Now, it’s time for the hard part: cooking the crepe.
Add just enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan in a thin layer, after swirling the batter around in a circular motion. It used up about ⅓ cup of batter for me, but it could be more or less depending on the size pan you’re using. Let the batter cook until the sides of the crepes are cooked all the way through and are able to be lifted from the pan.
That’s when you know it’s time to flip.
When flipping the crepe, it’s important to find the biggest spatula available to flip it in one motion. Even if you’re not the handiest when it comes to flipping, crepes tend to be forgiving in that you can move them back into place on the pan after they are flipped.
Cooking times also vary depending on how hot the pan is, how big it is and how thick the crepe is. But no matter the time, when you flip your crepe over, look for some golden brown spotting or even some deep brown spots on the side. That’s means it’s perfectly cooked. Keep flipping the crepe until both sides have that desired brown color.
I think it’s important to add a sturdy layer of Nutella that will ensure your crepe will not fall apart.
Samantha Bailey | The Montclarion Photo credit: Samantha Bailey
Now onto the best part: building your own crepe!
Crepes can be made with a variety of toppings and fillings. After you fill your crepe, fold it in half and then in half again. It should make a tiny quarter of a circle, almost like a triangle.
As for the toppings, I recommend a PB&J crepe for anyone who is dairy-free. This crepe consists of crunchy peanut butter, strawberries and bananas.
If you enjoy Nutella, however, you can aim for a classic crepe that is filled with Nutella and fruit and is topped with whipped cream, powdered sugar and chocolate sauce. I’d even recommend some roasted, chopped hazelnuts for a topping as well.
Now that wasn’t so hard, was it? Crepes are an easy way to impress friends, family and even yourself. They are a great pick-me-up snack after a hard exam or a celebratory treat after you ace a presentation. However you enjoy these crepes, you’ll love them even more knowing you made them yourself.
Until the next bite.
You can top your crepes however you want or devour them immediately; the choice is yours.
Samantha Bailey | The Montclarion
