The Perfect Savory Crepes
Ronnie and I were in Paris this summer for the 2024 Olympics, which was quite a spectacle! Athletes floating down the Seine, music, dancing, a fashion show taking place on one of the bridges celebrating up-and-comer designers in the area. It was really cool. We were there celebrating and supporting one of my best friends, Lauren Doyle, whom I played Women’s Rugby with in College, and whom played in her THIRD Olympics this summer (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024). When we weren’t at the Stade de France (where the Rugby games were held), we were making friends with people from around the world, and finding the best food in town. In fact, we even met a pastry chef studying at Le Cordon Bleu Paris… I think I will try and convince her to share a recipe with all of us :)
I’ve always been a fan of the crepe (there used to be a Creperie in New Buffalo, Michigan that I went to every single weekend for about my entire life called Pierre Anne’s), and so it felt like a suitable recipe to learn when we returned home to bring a little of the memory of Paris back to my family and friends.
Before we get started, here’s a few things to know about making crepes —
You can swap wheat flour for alternative flours, so if you prefer an almond flour or something else, feel free to try a 1-for-1 swap. I do 1/2 wheat flour and 1/2 almond flour, because we really like the nutty texture.
You can mix up your liquid of choice, some recipes call for beer, others for heavy cream, still others for 1/2 milk 1/2 water, so play around with your liquid as well to get the exact flavor you want. We’ve tried a few different ones, I prefer to go the milk route, the heavier the better if you want to go on a calorie splurge :) It’s worth it IMO.
The goal of your crepe batter is to make sure it is as smooth as possible without over-working the batter. Perfectly done batter delivers a tender, delicious crepe; over-worked batter delivers a tougher crepe.
Ingredients for the best savory crepes you’ll ever have:
1 cup plain flour (or 60g plain flour, 60g buckwheat flour)
Pinch of salt
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/2 cups of whole milk or beer (a malty Belgian recommended)
1/2 cup butter, melted, plus extra to cook
Ingredients for a fabulous savory crepe filling:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2-4 Tbsp. butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 lb cremini, brown or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary and/or thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. Cognac, sherry or brandy (optional)
1/2 cup finely diced ham
1 cup grated Gruyère, aged Gouda or white cheddar cheese
First, prepare your crepe batter:
First, sift the flour into a bowl and whisk with the salt.
Make a well in the middle and whisk in half the eggs, followed by half the milk or beer.
Add the remaining eggs and liquid, then stir in the melted butter.
The mixture should be the consistency of single cream – if it’s too thick, stir in a little more milk or beer.
Cover and leave to stand for at least an hour, although longer won’t hurt. Give it a good whisk to recombine before cooking.
Next, prepare your crepe filling:
Heat oil and butter in a heavy skillet set over medium-high heat.
Sauté the onion and mushrooms until soft; add the rosemary, season with salt and pepper and continue cooking until all the liquid has cooked off and the mushrooms are starting to turn golden.
(Option to add a shot of Cognac, sherry or brandy and cook until it evaporates)
Stir in the ham and a sprinkle of cheese.
After, cook your crepes:
Set a small frying pan over a medium-high heat and grease thoroughly with butter, tipping out the excess for the next one.
Test with a little batter – it should sizzle as it hits the pan. Once it does, pour in a half ladleful of batter (or adjust to fit the size of your pan – the first crepe will always be a test one) and quickly tilt the pan to cover the base, tipping any excess back into the bowl.
Leave to cook until you can see the edges turning brown, then loosen with a palette knife or spatula and flip (this probably will take about 40 seconds on one side, flip, and another 30 seconds on the other side).
As your crepe finishes (about 15 seconds in on side 2), sprinkle on cheese and let it melt slightly (about 15-20 seconds), then spoon your filling on top of the cheese and fold the filling in, removing the filled crepe from the heat.
Serve immediately, or store in a warm oven until you’re ready.
Bon Appetit! Enjoy a fabulous breakfast that honestly feels so special for guests and family alike! My favorite thing to do is share a few of my favorite french words and phrases with whomever I am serving:
“Oui” means “Yes” but “Ouai” means “Yeah”
“Bon Appetit” means “Enjoy Your Meal”
“Très bien” means “Very good”
“Merci” means “Thank you”
“La vie est trop courte pour boire du mauvais vin.” means “Life is too short to drink bad wine.”
