Basic Crepes

When I was fresh out of college, I made these crepes a lot.  They're inexpensive, easily made from ingredients on hand, and very filling.

Basic Crepes
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk

Measure flour and sugar out into large mixing bowl.  Stir together.  Add eggs and milk and mix well.  I used a whisk, but a fork will work, too.

I use a very small non-stick fry pan to make these.  The small size means I get a nice round shape every time.  If you're using a larger fry-pan, be prepared for more creative shapes to emerge as you pour batter into the hot pan.

I had to experiment with the burner temperature, since this is the first time I've made these on this stove.  My glass top stove's burners go from 1-9, and then "high".  I found that setting 7 worked the best for me.  You want the pan to be hot enough so that you get a lightly browned crepe, somewhat like a pancake.  Experiment until you find what works best for you.

Heat your frypan, and then grease it.  I use a butter-flavored cooking spray so I don't get overly greasy crepes.  Pour just over 1/4 cup batter into the pan.  I use a 1/2 cup measure as a dipper, and fill it just over half full.  Swirl the pan so that any excess batter will be moved to the edges of the pan and won't stay in the middle.  Cook until the bottom of the crepe is a golden brown.  Flip the crepe with a heat-resistant spatula, and cook a short time longer.  The second side won't be as brown as the first.  You just want to make sure that there is no uncooked batter on the second side. 



Just after adding batter, swirl so that excess doesn't settle in the middle.



Ready to flip!



If your pan isn't quite hot enough, you'll have a cooked crepe that doesn't brown, which will look pasty and pale, like the one on the left here:

When both sides of the crepe are cooked, remove to a plate.  Spread with filling of your choice, then roll the crepe into a tube shape.  My favorite fillings include pressurized cheese-in-a-can (the kind that you use to top crackers with), chunky peanut butter, or fruit jam or preserves.  This is a nice way to serve chicken a'la King, too.  I re-spray the fry pan every time I cook another crepe, so nothing ever sticks.  This recipe made more than enough for the two of us.  Be sure to eat while the crepes are warm!