Martin Hollis, executive chef at The Old Course Hotel in St Andrews, whips up an easy recipe for crepes with plum jam – perfect for a chilly day.
Sometimes, when it is cold and damp outside, you just want to warm up with something yummy and a bit naughty. If Pancake Day gave you an appetite for pancakes, these crepes are super-easy to make and sure do hit the spot!
Crepes seem to date back to the 13th Century in Brittany, France but not as we know them today – some porridge was accidentally dribbled onto a flat hot cooking plate, as nothing was wasted back then, it was eaten and the rest is now history…
To make my crepes with apple and Victoria plum filling you’ll need the following ingredients to serve 4. For the crepes: 57g melted butter; 355ml milk; 113g plain flour; 2 eggs, pinch salt; vegetable oil for frying in pan.
For the filling: 6 small dessert apples; 3 tbsp Victoria plum jam; 1 dsp caster sugar; 50g unsalted butter; 100ml apple liquor.
To make the crepes: Mix all ingredients until smooth and no lumps, Heat up non-stick pan until smoking and add small amount of oil, then a thin layer of mixture and lift the pan to allow the batter to flow around the pan, and flip when other side is cooked. Place onto trays to cool then keep in fridge until required.
To make the filling: Melt butter in a pan, add peeled, cored and chopped apples.
Gently cook, add apple liquor and reduce. Add plum jam and melt into apples. Check mix for sweetness and use as required.
Chef’s tip: Have all your ingredients at room temperature – this will help lumps forming with the flour and wet ingredients.
Allow the batter crepe batter mix to sit in the fridge for up to an hour before us – this allows the gluten to “relax” and will make for light and airy crepes (you should also do this for Yorkshire puds)
Don’t be tempted to flip it too early. The surface of your crepe should no longer be shiny, and the edges should start to brown before flipping your crepe. Flipping too early will make it tear.
Swap out the plain flour for gluten free flour for a gluten free option, soy, oat, or almond milk can be used instead of normal milk and eggs to make this vegan.
More from Martin Hollis:
Foodie Five: Fife chef Martin Hollis reveals his top five ingredients to try from local producers
Chef’s Table: Hungarian mushroom stew with cheesy herb scones will brighten up dark winter days
