Description
This is a go-to, fail-proof method for achieving delicate, buttery French pancakes at home. It’s the perfect canvas for any sweet or savory filling you can dream of. We’ll walk through the simple secrets to a lump-free batter, the all-important rest, and how to get that perfect swirl in the pan.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 2/3 cups Plain / all-purpose flour, sifted
- 3 tbsp Caster sugar / superfine sugar
- 1/4 tsp Cooking salt / Kosher salt
- 3 Large eggs
- 2 cups Full fat milk
- 1/3 cup Water
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)
- 45 g (3 tbsp) Unsalted butter, cubed, for cooking
Instructions
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and salt, and whisk everything together to combine.
- Create Initial Paste: Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and crack in the three eggs. With your whisk, start mixing the eggs, gradually pulling in a small amount of the flour from the sides of the well to create a thick, smooth paste in the center.
- Gradually Add Milk: Start adding the milk gradually, about half a cup at a time. Whisk until the paste loosens and becomes smooth, then add more milk. Continue this process until all the milk is incorporated and you have a smooth, thin batter.
- Finish Batter and Rest: Whisk in the water and the vegetable oil until the batter is glossy. The batter should have the consistency of thin cream. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
- Heat and Prep Pan: Heat a 9.5-inch (24cm) non-stick crêpe pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add about 1/2 teaspoon of butter. Swirl it to melt, then use a folded paper towel to wipe out most of the butter, leaving just a bare sheen.
- Swirl the Crêpe: Lift the pan off the heat. Using a 1/4 cup measure, ladle the batter into the center of the pan. Immediately tilt and swirl the pan in a circular motion so the batter spreads out to the edges in a thin, even layer.
- Cook, Flip, and Stack: Place the pan back on the heat. Cook for 45 to 60 seconds, until the edges start to lift and the underside is lightly golden. Use a thin spatula to gently lift an edge and flip the crêpe. Cook the other side for just 30 seconds.
- Slide the finished crêpe onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding a tiny bit of butter and wiping it out for each new crêpe. Stack the finished crêpes on the plate.
Notes
- Lump-Free Batter: Sifting the flour and creating a thick paste with the eggs before adding the milk are the two key secrets to a perfectly smooth, lump-free batter.
- Resting is Essential: Do not skip the 1-hour rest! This allows the gluten in the flour to relax, which is what makes the crêpes tender and delicate instead of tough and rubbery.
- Greasing the Pan: Wiping out the butter is important. You want a non-stick surface that’s just barely greased, with no visible pools of butter, to get that classic, spotty golden-brown finish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert, Brunch
- Method: Pan-Frying
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 crêpes
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
