Crepes With Brandy
4.8
(161)
You don’t need to be French to make this magnifique homemade crepe recipe. But having a specialized crepe pan? That does help. If you’re not ready to invest, pull out your shallowest nonstick skillet (carbon steel is a great choice) to make these thin pancakes. The real secret lies in a bit of self-confidence. While making crepe batter is a snap (here it’s done in a blender, but you could whisk the ingredients together in a large bowl if you’d like), perfecting the swirl of the wrist necessary to make that batter spread evenly may require some practice. Keep at it and you’ll soon learn how to make crepes perfectly every time.
This recipe calls for brandy and vanilla extract, but feel free to experiment with other liqueurs, such as two parts bourbon and one part Amaretto, or substitute cognac or fruit-flavored eau-de-vie. Keep the cooked crepes stacked on a plate in a low oven, loosely covered with foil while you finish working.
These sweet crepes will be the star of any brunch spread—just don’t forget your favorite fillings. Try apple butter or apricot jelly, or top with powdered sugar and lemon zest, maple syrup, whipped cream, fresh fruit, or lemon curd. For savory crepe filling ideas, consider a swirl of ricotta or a swipe of cream cheese—or go for Buckwheat Crepes With Spiced Chicken or Romanian fried crepes with mushrooms.
Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published in August 2004 as “Breakfast Crepes.”
Making the batter for these crepes is relatively easy, but cooking them one-by-one can be laborious. Once you have a gotten a feel for the technique (you will probably have to tinker with the heat and cooking time, since every pan behaves slightly differently), you can save time by using two pans at once. Stagger the process so you are pouring the batter into one pan while a crepe is cooking in the other. This way, you will be able to closely attend to both but will finish in half the time.
Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
Makes approximately 12-15 crepes
Ingredients
Special equipment:
Preparation
Step 1
In a blender, combine milk and eggs. Mix on medium-high speed until foamy, about 10 seconds. Turn blender to low speed and remove feed top. With blender going, add sugar and salt. Replace feed top and blend on high speed for a few seconds, then turn blender back to low. In the same manner, add butter, brandy, and vanilla, replacing feed top and blending for several seconds after each addition. Turn blender off. Add flour all at once and blend until just combined.
Step 2
Place crepe pan over moderately high heat. With flexible spatula, spread a tiny amount of butter in pan (an alternative method is to brush the pan with melted butter using a pastry brush) and heat until butter just begins to smoke. Pour ¼ to ⅓ cup batter into the center of the pan. As you pour, quickly tilt the pan in all directions to spread a thin layer of batter across the bottom. Pour in just enough batter to cover the pan.
Step 3
Cook crepe over moderately high heat until bubbles just begin to form on the exposed surface, about one to two minutes. Lift up the edge to check the cooking process—if the crepe starts to burn before it is cooked through, turn down the heat. If it is not nicely browned after two minutes, turn up the heat.
Step 4
When underside of crepe is browned, flip and cook another minute or less, until other side is browned. Remove from pan and keep warm in the oven, loosely covered with foil.
Step 5
Grease pan with a very small amount of butter and repeat process. Continue until remaining batter is used, stacking cooked crepes on a plate in the oven. To serve, sprinkle each crepe with sugar or spread with jelly and fold or roll up.
Do Ahead: Crepe batter can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate, covered, and blend briefly to recombine before cooking.
Recipe notes
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