I developed this recipe for shrove Tuesday but somehow I haven’t got round to writing it up until now, but since crepes are perfect at anytime of year, late is better than never!
Pancakes are often on our menu, but I generally go for the smaller, fluffier variety. These on the other hand are the perfect fine and lacy pancake, ideal for filling and rolling up or folding.
So what is a crepe, and how does it differ from a pancake? Traditionally a crepe is very thin, has no raising agent and is often filled with either a sweet or savoury filling. These are slightly sweet crepes, for a more savoury option decrease the sugar to 10g.
Since perfecting this recipe, we’ve been having them on repeat and I can guarantee that you’d never miss the eggs and milk found in traditional crepes, these really are just as good, especially if you follow my top tips:
- Ideally make the batter a while before you want to use it, you get a much better crepe if the batter has rested for at least one hour.
- Make sure you whisk the batter well, you really don’t want any lumps of raw flour.
- Make sure the consistency is like a thick pouring cream, this will enable the batter to easily coat your pan for a lovely thin crepe
- Make sure the pan is hot, over a medium heat and not over greased – just a tiny swipe of oil is enough.
- You are likely to have to throw out the first crepe, it will never be the best example, so plan accordingly
- I recommend olive oil as it gives a rich flavour and mimics some of the mouth-feel you’d get from the egg. If you don’t have olive oil, use another richer oil to give a bit of extra flavour and colour.
What’s your favourite pancake filling/topping? We’re generally a house that opts for the classic lemon and sugar or maybe some Plamil chocolate spread, but i have to say Biscoff spread has crept up as another favourite. If you gently melt the spread you can get a lovely drizzle!
Perfect egg-free crepes
Equipment
- Ideally use a flat pancake/crepe pan
Ingredients
- 125 g plain flour
- 30 g caster sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 250 ml dairy-free milk
- 15 g/1tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Place the flour, sugar and salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre.
- Pour in the milk and oil and gradually whisk in the flour until you have a smooth thick consistency. If it is not free-flowing add a touch more milk. Set aside to rest for at least one hour
- Heat a flat frying pan on a medium high heat, swipe with a touch of oil on some kitchen paper, and then pour in a ladleful of batter and swirl around to give a thin coating to the pan. Once it can move freely and the edges are starting to dry up, flip or turn the pancake over and continue to cook the other side.
- Place on a plate covered with a sheet of baking paper and continue with the rest of the batter. You should end up with 6-8 large crepes.
