Pancake Day is almost upon us, so it’s time for me to whip up my crepe recipe. There really is no comparison between making pancakes yourself and buying the ready-made version from the supermarket, so task yourself with getting the ingredients and make this very simple recipe. I promise, you’ll taste the difference!
Typically in the UK, we choose crepes over pancakes on Pancake Day; thick, fluffy pancakes are more popular with our friends over in America. The main difference between the two is that pancake batter has a raising agent in it, such as baking powder, which we’ll be leaving out of our recipe today.
Crepes also tend to be larger in diameter compared to pancakes. The reason I like crepes so much is because you can cram them with so many wonderful fillings, whereas pancakes lend themselves better to a topping.
For my crepes, you’ll need 2oz of melted butter, 12fl oz of milk, 4oz of plain flour, 2 eggs and a pinch of salt. I also like to enhance the batter by adding grated orange, lemon zest and a little sugar. If you’re planning on going for a savoury pancake replace the sweet additions with chopped soft herbs and finely chopped spring onions.
Start by mixing all of the ingredients together until smooth – make sure there are no lumps. Heat up a non-stick pan until smoking and add a small amount of the oil before pouring in a thin layer of the mixture. Quickly flip when the first side is cooked. If you’d like to keep your crepes heated when making a batch, put them on top of each other in the oven on a low heat. Otherwise, wait until they cool and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready for them.
My favourite filling is apple compote – if you’re going for a sweet crepe. If you’d like something simple and quick, there’s a reason lemon and sugar is so popular – it’s delicious!
Chef’s tip
My top tip for the perfect pancake flip is to start by lightly shaking the pan. If it’s ready to be flipped, it’ll move freely. Tip the pancake to the edge of the pan and flip. Use the same action as you would if you were making something in a wok. The key is to be confident and catch it in the middle of the pan so it continues to cook evenly. Good luck!
