Do you like the vintage yummy recipes created by the legendary chef, the iconic Julia Childs? When it comes to patronize an internationally renowned chef, she is my most favorite chef and I simply cherish all of her dishes, especially the crepes, that are used with both the sweet as well as the savory dishes. crepes are a type of French pancakes that are often made with a delicious, multi ingredient filling such as fish, meat and vegetables rolled inside it and it is often spread with a luscious sauce as it is baked in the oven, till it reaches a golden hue, like a lasagna.
Crepes are often baked as a confectionaries too, as they are filled with a heavy filling of sugar, lip smacking jams, chocolates, whipped creams, exotic fruits like blueberries and a lot more!
If you like Julia Child’s recipes, here is an exquisite crepe recipe by her, with whipped cream and a lovely bunch of blueberries! Be it be breakfast, lunch or dinner, Julia’s food recipes work like an irresistible velvety charm!
I’ve made crêpes as a breakfast recipe a couple of times, stacking it into a marvelous chocolate cake, bananas and sweet smelling blueberries! I make them almost every weekend, as a feisty indulgence of the most appetizing flavors! My friends and I often compete, trying to win the little “Julia Childs Cookery Contest”, that is held at our homes every now and then, during fun-filled tea sessions and sleepover parties! I never change the legendary recipe much, except adding a bit of sugar to the pancake batter.
Sometimes, I like to fill the crepes with a savory piece of chicken and a mayonnaise filling and fill the rest of it with a healthy blending of whipped cream, homemade chocolate sauce and sundry spreads. Crepes can be stored for a long lasting time, if covered and enclosed in airtight containers and plastic sandwich bags. If you don’t feel like making the breakfast on a lazy Sunday, simply serve the leftover crepes with a thick new sprinkling of chocolate sauce and freshly sliced bananas and there it is, all ready to be eaten!
INGREDIENTS
- 125 ml of cold milk (1/2 cup)
- 125 ml of water, preferably cold but can be at room temperature (1/2 cup)
- 2 eggs, preferably cold but can be kept at room temperature
- 90 grams of multipurpose flour (3/4 cup)
- 1 teaspoon of white sugar
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 2 tablespoons of softened Kisan margarine
THE METHOD
Creating the Crêpe Batter
Combine all the dry ingredients in a large baking bowl for mixing them together.
Blend with an immersion blender until everything blends well, scrapping down the sides of the bowl again and again.
However, if there is any incidence of formation of the lumps, continue blending the mixture until the lumps dissolve and blend fully.
In case that there are still a few lumps remaining, strain the batter and discard the lumps wholly.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk milk, water, egg and kisan margarine together till a frothy mixture is formed. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk flour, sugar and salt together quite well.
Pour in the wet ingredients gradually, whisking constantly until everything is incorporated totally.
Strain the batter and use a wooden spatula to press down on the lumps against the filter to combine them back into the batter.
Properly strain the batter and remove any left behind pieces or lumps of the crepe batter.
Now, cover the mixing bowl with a plastic wrap and place the bowl in the refrigerator and chill the batter for at least two hours before using to allow flour particles to swell in the liquid to produce a tender and lightly colored vintage looking crepe. To save some time, I usually make the batter the day before and kept it refrigerated until it is ready to be used.
Cooking the Crêpes
Heat an 8 to 10-inch frying pan over medium flame of heat. Sprinkle droplets of water onto the frying pan and if the water sizzles instantaneously, it means the frying pan is adequately hot to be used.
Smear a thin layer of softened or melted margarine on the frying pan. Now, stir the crêpe batter a little and take a scoop ¼-cup of the batter.
Hold the frying pan in your right hand, if it’s the dominant cooking hand and gently pour the crêpe batter into the middle of the pan with another hand, tilting the pan in all directions as you pour (the batter should spread evenly almost immediately as you pour in the batter) so that the batter coats the bottom of the frying pan forming a thin layer, like a smearing.
Keep cooking for about half a minute almost and until the edges of the crepe begin to turn a rich crispy brown, then slightly loosen the crêpe with a spatula and turn to the other side to cook for almost half a minute again.
Transfer the cooked crêpe onto a plate.
Repeat the process till all the batter has been used to make more crepes.
Serve it hot, sprinkled with blueberries, powdered sugar, banana chunks and chocolate sauce and enjoy!
Recipe Tips:
After cooking the first crêpe, one must determine if ¼-cup of batter is either too much or too little and adjust the batter amount for the remaining crepes subsequently. The crêpe batter consistency should be quite like a light cream, just thick enough to coat a spoon well.
If you find the batter too thick or heavy you may make it less thick, by diluting it and whisking in water, tablespoon by tablespoon till it’s a little runny.