French food Friday - Crêpes for la Chandeleur

Did you know that the Catholic holiday of Candlemas, on 2 February, is a feast to commemorate the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of baby Jesus. In France, this holiday is called la Chandeleur, Fête de la Lumière, or jour des crêpes.

Not only do the French eat a lot of crêpes on Chandeleur, but they also do a bit of fortune telling while making them. It is traditional to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crêpe pan in the other, and flip the crêpe into the air. If you manage to catch the crêpe in the pan, your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year.  So you know what we are going to be making on the 2 February....

Crêpes for La Chandeleur

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, plus 3-4 more Tablespoons for the pan

1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk, at room temperature

1/2 cup (120ml) room temperature water

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Melt 3 Tablespoons of butter in the microwave or on the stove. Cool for about 5 minutes before using in the next step. The remaining butter is for the skillet.

Combine the cooled melted butter, flour, sugar, salt, milk, water, eggs, and vanilla to a blender or large food processor.  If you don’t have a blender or food processor, use a large mixing bowl and whisk by hand. Blend on medium-high speed for 20-30 seconds until everything is combined. The mixture will be silky smooth and the consistency of cream. 

Cover the blender tightly or pour into a medium bowl, cover tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes and up to 1 day. (After refrigerating, if the batter looks separated, give it a quick stir before cooking in the next step.)

Cook the crepes: 

Use the remaining butter for greasing the pan between each crepe. Place an 8-inch skillet over medium heat and generously grease it with some of the reserved butter. If you don’t have a skillet this size, use a larger one but make sure you keep the crepes thin. 

Once the skillet is hot, pour 3-4 Tablespoons (closer to 3 is best) of batter into the center of the pan. Tilt/twirl the pan so the batter stretches as far as it will go. The thinner the crepe, the better the texture. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then flip as soon as the bottom is set. Don’t wait too long to flip crepes or else they will taste rubbery. Cook the other side for 30 seconds until set.

Transfer the cooked crepe to a large plate and repeat with the remaining batter, making sure to butter the pan between each crepe. If desired, separate each crepe with parchment paper so they do not stick together. Though, if using enough butter in your pan, the crepes shouldn't  stick.

Fill the crepes. 

Place a few spoonful's of your filling ingredient(s) in the center of the crepe. 

Fold both sides over the filling. Crepes are delicious with toppings, too, such as a drizzle of melted chocolate, melted peanut butter, or a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Or a savory sauce like pesto or hollandaise.

Bon fin de semaine ♥

Leeann x