Looking for a recipe for the most delicate crepes that never tear? The secret is adding sparkling mineral water straight into the batter. The bubbles make the batter incredibly airy, and these crepes come out thin as a spiderweb.
The second important step is letting the batter rest for 30 minutes. The flour swells nicely and the crepes turn out soft and sturdy. It is an old grandmother’s trick.
How do you make the most delicate crepes?
Whisk the eggs with the milk, oil and sparkling water. Add the sifted flour, salt and vanilla. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes. Cook thin crepes on a hot pan until golden.
At a Glance
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Resting time: 30 minutes
- Cooking time: 15 minutes
- Servings: about 10–12 crepes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Calories: about 90 kcal per crepe
- Trend: Quick recipe
Ingredients
(US measures, with metric in brackets)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 2/3 cups (200 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (230 ml) whole milk
- Scant 1 cup (220 ml) sparkling mineral water or club soda
- 3 1/2 tablespoons (50 ml) vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 teaspoon / 5 g vanilla sugar)
- Pinch of salt
- Oil for greasing the pan (only before the first crepe)
For filling
- Plum and apricot jam (or to taste)
Instructions
- Crack 2 eggs into a deep bowl. Add a pinch of salt and the vanilla. Whisk lightly.
- Pour in the milk, sparkling mineral water and oil. Mix everything well.
- Gradually sift the flour into the liquid mixture (ideally through a sieve).
- Whisk thoroughly into a smooth, thin batter with no lumps.
- Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the batter rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. (Do not skip this step!)
- Heat a crepe pan or nonstick skillet. Brush it with oil only before the first crepe.
- Stir the batter again before scooping. Use a small ladle and swirl the batter over the whole pan in a thin layer.
- Cook over medium heat for about 1 minute, until the edges are golden brown and the crepe lifts easily.
- Flip the crepe with a spatula and cook the other side until golden (only about 30 seconds more).
- Stack the finished crepes on a plate. To keep them from drying out, cover them with foil or an upturned second lid.
- Spread the crepes with your favorite jam, roll them up and serve.
Video Recipe
Tips
- The sparkling water trick: The bubbles (CO2) in sparkling water work like a leavener. They make the batter extremely airy, so the crepes come out light and “lacy”.
- Resting the batter: The 30-minute rest is key. In that time the gluten in the flour swells, so the crepes are much more elastic and do not tear when flipped.
Easy Variations
- Savory crepes: Leave out the vanilla and add chopped herbs to the batter. Fill them with ham, cheese or spinach.
- Whole-grain flavor: Replace half of the all-purpose flour with fine spelt flour or whole wheat pastry flour.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why is oil added to the batter? The oil keeps the crepes from sticking to the pan. That is why you only need to oil the pan at the very beginning.
My batter is too thick or too thin. What can I do? The consistency depends on how absorbent your flour is. If it is too thick, add a spoonful of milk or sparkling water. If it is too thin, add a spoonful of flour.
Do I have to use sparkling mineral water? For “ordinary” crepes, milk or water is enough. But if you want this extra delicate, “lacy” texture, sparkling water is the best trick.
Crepes are best fresh, spread with jam, farmer’s cheese or your favorite spread. They keep in the fridge for 2 days, but quickly lose their tenderness.
The recipe is based on a version by Moja Kuhinja Tanja, adapted by the We Cook With Love team.
Enjoy! Try more recipes from our kitchen.
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