Crêpes

I know you have all been eagerly waiting with bated breath since I announced I would be doing a product review for CSN stores.  Wait no more!  Behold the product review as promised! 

Choosing a product to review proved to be no easy task.  I knew I wanted to review a kitchen product, and I wanted to try something new.  After lots of browsing and just before Valerie was about to snap from all the ideas I was bouncing off her, I found it.  A Cuisinart Crêpe Pan! 

I had been wanting to make crêpes for a long time.  In fact, before I made them, I had never even had a crêpe.  My interest began when I was working at a bank in Indianapolis.  Every Friday, someone from the branch brought breakfast for everyone.  My manager Emmanuel, who was from France, was excited because someone was bringing crêpes and Nutella for breakfast.  That morning, as Emmanuel was smearing Nutella on his 'crêpe', he looked at me and said, "These are not crêpes."  He was right, they were pancakes, and he went on to explain how crêpes are not like pancakes in that they are unleavened and wafer thin.  I took that to heart, and I always wandered what a real crêpe would taste like.

As the years went by, I would see crêpe pans in kitchen stores just begging me to buy them.  While tempted to by one, I never did.  This product review opportunity from CSN Stores pushed me over the edge, and I anxiously waited for my pan to arrive in the mail.  When it arrived, I opened the box to observe the new hardware.  The pan looked nice; it had sloping sides with a distinct bottom, just like Alton Brown recommends.  Then, the real test came.  Does it look good on my pot rack?

Yes!

The weekend finally came and I was ready to actually make crêpes.  I used Alton Brown's recipe, and the batter came together in an instant.  Then came the fun part, cooking the crêpes.  It definitely took some practice to get the batter to spread in the pan evenly.  In order to keep the crêpes thin, I had to use just enough batter to barely coat the bottom of the pan.  My first couple crêpes looked like jellyfish, but I finally got the hang of it.  

This is the only nonstick pan I own, and it certainly comes in handy.  With the nonstick pan and a little butter, I did not have a problem with any of the crêpes sticking.  In fact, I was able to flip them by hand; mainly because I couldn't figure out any other way to do it.

The batter made over a dozen crêpes and we enjoyed them that morning with a little Nutella and bananas.  The crêpes were more delicious than I imagined them to be, and they were quite durable for being so thin. 

They were tender, delicate, slightly sweet, and the Nutella and bananas were a perfect compliment.

I should have garnished the plate a little better to improve presentation, but we just couldn't wait to eat.  The crêpes were a bit intimidating at first, but once I got the hang of it, they were a cinch to make.  The pan was very nice, too, and I am sure I will use it again and again.\

Crêpes
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter, for coating the pan

Directions
In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.

Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone. After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.