Jacques Pépin's Famous Crêpes

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup all-purpose flour (approximate quantity based on visual and typical ratio for 1/2 cup milk)
• 0.5 cup milk (divided)
• salt (a little dash)
• sugar (a bigger dash)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (melted; can substitute with 1 tbsp oil)
• 1 tbsp apricot jam (for serving/filling per crêpe)

Steps

1. 1

   Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 7-inch skillet over medium heat.

2. 2

   In a mixing bowl, combine the flour with a small amount (a little bit) of the milk, a dash of salt, and a larger dash of sugar.

3. 3

   Whisk the mixture thoroughly until it forms a very smooth, thick paste. Using only a small amount of liquid initially allows the whisk to break up any lumps.

4. 4

   Gradually whisk in the remaining milk until the batter is very thin and liquid in consistency.

5. 5

   Pour the melted butter from the skillet into the batter and whisk to combine.

6. 6

   Return the skillet to the heat. Pour about 1/4 cup of the mixture into the center of the pan.

7. 7

   Immediately tilt and rotate the pan to spread the batter thinly and evenly across the bottom. If there are small gaps, you can add a tiny bit more batter to fill them.

8. 8

   Cook for about one minute on the first side until the edges are set and the bottom is lightly browned.

9. 9

   Flip the crêpe and cook for approximately 30 seconds on the second side.

10. 10

    Slide the crêpe out of the pan onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter; you do not need to add more butter to the pan between crêpes.

11. 11

    To serve, spread a tablespoon of apricot jam (or sugar, butter, or chocolate) over the crêpe. Fold it into fourths or roll it up, ensuring the 'nicest' side is facing out.

Notes

Jacques notes that the first crêpe is often considered 'for the dog,' but he uses it anyway. The batter should be very thin; if it's too thick, add a splash more milk. For savory crêpes (stuffed with fish or meat), the same batter works perfectly.

Nutrition per serving

• breakfast
• dessert
• French
• vegetarian
• pan-fried
• classic
• brunch