Pâte â Crêpes (Crêpe Batter)

Submitted by Bay Laurel

"This is my first attempt at cooking like Julia Child and this will become a regular part of my repertoire. Your first crepe is a trial to test the consistency of the batter, the exact amount you need for the pan, and the heat. Recipe courtesy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. Bon Appetit!"

 

• Ready In: 20mins
• Ingredients: 6
• Yields: 25 crepes
• Serves: 12-15

ingredients

• 1 cup water (cold)
• 1 cup milk (cold)
• 4 eggs
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 cups flour (scooped and leveled)
• 4 tablespoons butter (melted)

directions

1. Put the liquids, eggs, and salt into the blender jar.
2. Add the flour, then the butter.
3. Cover and blend at top speed for 1 minute.
4. If bits of flour adhere to sides of jar, dislodge with a rubber scraper and blend for 2 to 3 seconds more.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
6. The batter should be a very light cream, just thick enough to coat a wooden spoon. If, after making your first crepe, it seems too heavy, beat in a bit of water, a spoonful at a time. Your cooked crepe should be about 1/16" thick.
7. Rub the skillet with a pork rind or a piece of bacon fat or brush it lightly with oil. Set over moderately high heat until the pan is just beginning to smoke.
8. Immediately remove from heat and holding handle of pan in your right hand, pour with your left hand a scant 1/4 cup of batter with the middle of the pan. (I'm left-handed, so I reversed this method. Sorry, Julia.).
9. Quickly tilt the pan in all directions to run the batter all over the bottom of the pan in a thin film.
10. Pour any batter that does not adhere to the pan back into your bowl. Judge the amount for your next crepe accordingly.
11. This whole operation takes but 2 or 3 seconds.
12. Return the pan to the heat for 60 to 80 seconds.
13. Then jerk and toss pan sharply back and forth and up and down to loosen the crepe.
14. Lift its edges with a spatula and if the under side is a nice light brown, the crepe is ready for turning.
15. Turn the crepe by using 2 spatulas or gasp the edges nearest you in your fingers and sweep it up toward you and over again into the pan in a reverse circle or toss it over by a flip of the pan.
16. Brown lightly for about 1/2 minute on the other side.
17. This second side is rarely more than a spotty brown, and is always kept as the underneath or nonpublic aspect of the crepe.
18. As they are done, slide the crepes onto a rack and let cool several minutes before stacking on a plate.
19. Grease the skillet again, heat to just smoking, and proceed with the rest of the crepes.
20. Crepes may be kept warm by covering them with a dish and setting them over simmering water or in a slow oven.
21. Or they may be made several hours in advance and reheated as needed. Crepes freeze perfectly.
22. As soon as you are used to the procedure, you can keep 2 pans going at once, and make 24 crepes in less than half an hour.
23. Pour any batter that does not adhere.