Where Do Crepes Come From?
Crepes originate from France. The point of origin is believed to be Brittany in North West France although crepes are popular right across France. Crepes also go under the name of galettes in France.
What Are The Main Ingredients?
The main ingredients, ignoring fillings and toppings, are flour, sugar, milk, eggs, melted butter and a pinch of salt. You can find out how to make a crepe here : How To Make A Crepe.
How Are They Cooked?
Once you have a batter, cooking a crepe is pretty easy. Way back, the French used to cook crepes on heated flat stones called galet giving rise to the alternate name for crepes of “galettes”. Essentially any heated flat surface will do a reasonable job. You can buy crepe pans for the domestic stove or you could buy a domestic electric machine. If you are cooking crepes professionally you can get commercial electric griddles although gas griddles tend to be favoured for the control of heat and ability to go mobile. Essentially you need a medium heated pan or griddle and about 2 minutes to cook each side of the crepe.
Do I Need A Special Pan To Make Good Crepes?
Not necessarily. The French tend to favour blue steel crepe pans which are non stick. These are heat tempered flat pans that need seasoning before use, traditionally they are only used for cooking crepes. If you want more versatility you could go for a straight forward non stick flat pan. Alternatively there are lots of domestic crepe maker choices from griddles to flip pans that will keep your stove clear for other cooking.
Whats The Difference Between A Crepe And A Pancake?
A crepe and a pancake are only subtly different from each other. A crepe is flat and has less air in the mix so is a little chewy. A pancake has thickness and a fluffy texture when bitten into. The ingredients are similar however the crepe does not use a rising agent hence they are flat when cooked. A pancake has the same ingredients but additionally has baking powder added. This is a rising agent that makes the mixture fluff up when cooked to create a thicker cake.
I Have A Gluten Intolerance, Can I Still Have Crepes?
In France the two styles of crepe, sweet and savoury, are made from two different recipes. The sweet recipe uses wheat flour which contains gluten, the savoury galette substitutes wheat flour for buckwheat flour which is gluten free. You can also use other flour mixes such as Arrowroot flour and achieve a good crepe batter.
Can I Make A Vegan Version?
You can make a perfectly passable crepe using soy milk and margarine substitutes. Just exchange ingredients from a traditional recipe.