Saturday, July 04, 2009

Crepes Fines Sucrees

After reading Julie and Julia I was inspired to try and make crepes. I have never made crepes and was ready to try. They were relatively easy. The first three were a disaster, but by the forth one I was happy with the results. I didn't do anything too exciting for the filling just used fresh berries we had in the house. I just wanted to try the crepes out first.
The crepes also looked patriotic with the strawberries, blueberries and white powdered sugar.
Julia Child - Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume One

yield: Makes 10 to 12 crepes 6 inches in diameter, or 16 to 18 crepes 4 to 5 inches in diameter

-3/4 cup cold milk
-3/4 cup cold water
-3 egg yolks
-1 tablespoon granulated sugar
-3 tablespoon orange liqueur, rum, or brandy
-1 cup flour (scooped and leveled)
-5 tablespoon melted butter
-An electric blender
-A rubber scraper
-An iron skillet or a crêpe pan with a 6 1/2- to 7-inch bottom diameter
-2 to 3 tablespoon cooking oil and a pastry brush
-A ladle or measure to hold 3 to 4 tablespoon or 1/4 cup

Place the ingredients in the blender jar in the order in which they are listed. Cover and blend at top speed for 1 minute. If bits of flour adhere to sides of jar, dislodge with a rubber scraper and blend 3 seconds more. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hour or overnight.

Brush the skillet lightly with oil. Set over moderately high heat until the pan is just beginning to smoke.

Immediately remove from heat and, holding handle of pan in your right hand, pour with your left hand a scant 1/4 cup of batter into the middle of the pan. Quickly tilt the pan in all directions to run the batter all over the bottom of the pan in a thin film. (Pour any batter that does not adhere back into your bowl; judge the amount of your next crêpe accordingly.) This whole operation takes but 2 or 3 seconds.

Return the pan to heat for 60 to 80 seconds. Then jerk and toss the pan sharply back and forth and up and down to loosen the crêpe. Lift its edges with a spatula and if the under side is a nice light brown, the crêpe is ready for turning.

Turn the crêpe by using 2 spatulas; or grasp the edges nearest you in your fingers and sweep it up toward you and over again into the pan in a reverse circle; or toss it over by a flip of the pan.

Brown lightly for about 1/2 minute on the other side. This second side is rarely more than a spotty brown, and is always kept as the underneath or nonpublic aspect of the crêpe. As they are done, slide the crêpes onto a rack and let cool several minutes before stacking on a plate. Grease the skillet again, heat to just smoking, and proceed with the rest of the crêpes. Crêpes may be kept warm by covering them with a dish and setting them over simmering water or in a slow oven. Or they may be made several hours in advance and reheated when needed. Crêpes freeze perfectly.)

As soon as you are used to the procedure, you can keep 2 pans going at once, and make 24 crêpes in less than half an hour.

Recipe Found - here

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