Easy To Choose A Model

If you are looking to buy a standard stove top crepe pan you will soon discover the amazing amount of choice on offer. You can get blue steel crepe pans or aluminum non stick pans, pans that are 8ins diameter and others that are 12ins diameter. You can opt for a pan that costs $15 or a pan that costs $140. There are famous brands and unheard of brands. All this choice makes a simple task hard and no matter which you opt for you won’t know if it cooks evenly or warps till you have tried it on your particular stove at home.

Conversely, there are about four electric crepe maker models on the market offered by three manufacturers. The four models consist of three griddle style machines and one dip, flip and cook machine. Whichever type you choose will heat evenly because they have dedicated heating filaments designed for the cooking surface ensuring an even cook. Now doesn’t that simplify things?

Easy To Use

The biggest problem with stove top crepe pans is that you need the “knack”. If you don’t get the correct starting temperature you waste the first attempts, the crepes turn rubbery from under cooking. Electric models all have temperature warning lights to ensure your first attempts aren’t wasted. Blue steel crepe pans (the perfectionists choice) will need seasoning to create a non stick cooking surface, non of the electric models do. To thick or to thin a spread ed mix and the crepe is easily ruined. Electric paddle models do the hard work for you and griddle models come with instructions and batter spreaders with recipe books based on the size of hotplate to make life easy and ensure consistent crepes.

Price

Crepe pans start at $15 and run to $150 dependent on brand, size, construction. Cheap pans are sub $40, expensive are over $80. You may get a cheap model that turns out great, but you are just as likely to get a pan that won’t cook evenly and after a year will be warped. Electric models are generally $40 and only the very top model from the best brand is over $100. Electric models are competitively priced machines that will come with a manufacturers warranty and are easier to use.

Novel Gift Idea

Electric crepe pans make great gifts for foodies. They usually come as an all in one package with spreaders and recipe books so all you have to do is make the batter, turn the machine on and cook. Conversely, who is going to get excited receiving a plain pan, and even then will the recipient get any use out of it or will it be tossed aside when they discover they can’t/don’t master the knack?

Put simply if you want to enjoy home made crepes with the minimum of fuss and practice, you just want results and don’t need the hassle of buying a less than perfect pan opt for an electric crepe maker. You won’t loose out on price and they make great gifts.

First, go into the entire process with a sense that you really cannot make a bad crepe. Most of your results from the pan will be wonder delights – even if they are not the classic “thin” crepe. Chefs will tell you that if your crepe does not turn out as thin as you wish, then merely dust them with a little sugar or dab on a bit of topping or filling and enjoy your “mistake” yourself. Then make another perfect crepe, for your guests because the secret is to practice.

Start, as always, with the “set up” or the “mise en place”, which is French for “everything in place”. Have your utensils, bowls and ingredients right where you need them – which will include four eggs, one-fourth of a teaspoon of salt, two cups of flour, two and one-fourth cups of milk, one-fourth of a cup of melted butter and the fillings of your choice – including jams or cheeses, even ham or turkey –the possibilities are endless.

You will need to a mixing bowl, a whisk, a fork, a wooden spoon, a spatula, some plastic wrap and, of course, your pan or crepe maker. The difference is that a crepe pan is a very shallow skillet or flat griddle that heats up very fast. This allows crepes to cook in seconds. An electric model is a bit more involved. Designed specifically for making crepes, it can be the type that sits on a heating element – such as a stovetop – or come with its own separate heating element. Crepe makers are usually more expensive – between $35 and $300 – because it is specifically shaped and designed for making crepes, thus, producing a more “perfect” crepe more consistently.

When you have all of your cooking elements and ingredients set up, break your eggs into the mixing bowl and add the salt as you whisk the eggs. Continue whisking until the eggs have a consistent yellow color. Then begin adding the flour as you whisk the eggs, along with the milk. Alternate the flour and milk as you continue whisking until the batter is smooth. This whole process of whisking and adding flour and milk should take about two minutes. Now you can add the melted butter and continue to whisk until the butter is thoroughly mixed into the batter.

At this point, you can cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. You can actually keep the batter refrigerated for several days before using or use it immediately.

Now it is time to heat you pan. Since it is a non-stick surface, you can pour a small amount batter directly in the pan. Just remember; a small amount goes a long way, especially since you will swirl the batter around the pan, covering the entire surface with a thin layer of goodness. In just a few seconds, lift an edge of the crepe with the spatula. If it is firm you can flip it to the other side for a few more seconds, then slide it out of the pan onto a plate, fill with jam, cheese, turkey, ham – anything you like – roll into a cylinder and enjoy!

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.

Styles Available

Griddle Style

There are two basic styles of home use electric crepe machines on the market. The most traditional style is the griddle. This is similar to commercial machines. Essentially it is a circular hot plate that you pour and spread your batter mix onto. Once one side is cooked you have to turn the crepe over to cook the other side.

The second style of crepe maker is the dip, flip and cook crepe maker. These look like a paddle, one side is normally a non stick heating surface. These models are accompanied by a dipping bowl. The idea is you place a batter mix in the bowl and set the paddle to heat up. Once the correct heat is achieved, the user dips the non stick heating surface in the batter, lets excess batter drain off, flips the paddle and leaves to cook the film of batter left on the paddle. The result is a thin, well cooked crepe.

Which Style Suits You?

Both types of domestic crepe maker can produce fine crepes, but each type of machine has distinct benefits and drawbacks.

Griddle crepe machines are usually more powerful and have a larger hot plate. This makes them ideal for households with larger families that want to cook lots of crepes quickly, and for individuals that may want the option of varying the size of crepe to suit younger family members and to reduce batter waste. On the downside, these appliances require more user skill. It will take practice to get the right amount of batter on the griddle to make a crepe of full diameter without being to thick or thin in places.

Paddle Style

The paddle type machines are less powerful and have a smaller convex cooking surface. These machines have to be smaller so you are not lifting as much weight when you dip and turn the machine. Consequently the crepes you make are often limited in size and slower to cook meaning these machines are not so great for larger families. The great thing about these machines is that you can operate them with little practice and consistently turn out thin crepes. This is because dipping and letting batter run off the paddle before flipping produces a consistent coating to cook. Gravity does the harder work for you.

Brands/Models

If you are interested in a crepe griddle for home use check out the Cucina Pro 1448. This has a 12 inch griddle so you can make large crepes and develop your crepe making technique to emulate the professionals. This model is the cheapest starter option if you want a griddle. If you want a higher level domestic griddle check out the Tibos range. A little more expensive, but more powerful and quicker to cook (this will cook a crepe in 30secs).

If you want a paddle or dip/flip/cook crepe maker then the leading model is the Villaware V5225. This has a 7.5 inch cooking surface and cooks a crepe in 3-4 minutes. Other paddle crepe makers are available such as the Cucina Pro 1447. This is cordless and less powerful than the Villaware but is probably safer to use in a household with small children as there are fewer electrical cords lying around.

What They Cost

The Cucina Pro 1448 griddle comes with a RRP of $49. The more powerful Tibos starts at $140.
The Villaware V5225 starts at $50 although the cordless Cucina 1447 generally comes in at $40.