Chef’s Note: Crepes are the European version of our American pancakes. They’re thinner and more buttery than classic American pancakes, making them the perfect medium for a variety of fillings. Filled with a sweet, pink fruity filling such as strawberry cream, crepes are a great romantic brunch for two.
Crepes are typically made in a crepe pan, but they will be just fine if made in a normal pan. Just make sure it’s about the same size (12 inches in diameter should work).
If you would like another basic crepe recipe click here, and if you would like to see other sweet or savory variations of this European pancake, click here or here.
Strawberry Pastry Cream Ingredients:
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⅓ cup of frozen strawberries, thawed and pureed
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⅓ cup of sugar
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2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
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2 tablespoons of cornstarch
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4 egg yolks
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1 ⅓ cups of milk
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¾ teaspoon of vanilla extract
Crepe Ingredients:
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½ cup of all purpose flour
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½ cup of milk
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¼ cup of lukewarm water
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2 large eggs
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2 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for greasing
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1 ½ tablespoons of sugar
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pinch of salt
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confectioner’s sugar, for serving (optional)
Prepare the pastry cream as you would for my cream puff recipe, here, and stir in the pureed strawberries with the vanilla.
For the crepe batter, combine flour, milk, water, eggs, melted butter, sugar, and salt in a food processor or blender until smooth. Let stand for 30 minutes.
Grease a pan with the extra butter. Heat it over medium. Pour in about 2 tablespoons of batter, tilting and rotating the pan as you do so in order to spread the batter in a thin, even layer.
Cook until the bottom is golden and the top has set. Carefully turn the crepe using either a metal spatula or your fingers, if you can.
Cook until the second side is lightly browned. Remove the crepe and place onto a piece of wax paper. Butter the pan, stir the batter, and cook the next crepe in the next fashion. Repeat until the batter has been used. Place a piece of wax paper between each finished crepe.
To form the strawberry cream crepes, spread a thin layer of pastry cream on a crepe, then roll it up like a jelly roll. Serve them with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar, if desired.
All photos Lauren Quinn
