Crepes Fines Sucrees (Light Batter)

For our breakfast this weekend, both Red and I were wondering what haven't we made in a while? I have made so many muffins in the past few weeks, or banana breads, that I think we can easily say that I won't miss it for a while. Even I started to groan. We were toying with the idea of making pancakes with new addition, like maybe ricotta? But oh wait, we didn't have any ricotta at home. But we have the basic ingredients like flour (yes, the 25-lb bag!), eggs, milk, sugar. What about CREPES! So here you go. The batter tasted fantastic: light, not too sweet, buttery. We could also improve on our technique. Still has a LONG way to go!

Adapted from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

3/4 cup cold milk

3/4 cup cold water

3 egg yolks

1 TB granulated sugar

3 TB orange liqueur, rum, or brandy

1 Cup flour

5 TB melted butter
2-3 TB cooking oil, to cook the crepes

Tools

An electric blender, a rubber scraper

Directions

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

Methods

Rub the skillet with the rind or brush it lightly with oil. Set over moderate high heat until the pan is just beginning to smoke.

Immediately remove from the 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 to the pan back into your bowl,; judge the amount for your next crepe accordingly). This whole operation takes about 2-03 seconds.

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

Turn the crepe by using 2 spatulas, or grasp the edge nearest you in your fingers and sweet 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 non-public aspects of the crepe. As they are done, slide the crepes onto a rack and let cool several minutes before stacking on a plate.

Grease skillet, heat to just smoking, and proceed with the rest of the crepes.


Yield: 10-12 for 6" crepes, and more for smaller crepes