Crepes Buffet Recipes

THE BEST CREPES

Steps:

• Add the milk, eggs, flour, sugar, vanilla and salt to a blender. Puree on high speed until completely smooth and slightly thickened and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the melted butter and puree until incorporated, 30 seconds more. Let the batter rest in the blender carafe for at least 1 hour at room temperature or refrigerate up to 24 hours. The longer you allow the batter to rest and hydrate, the lighter and softer the texture of the crepes will be; overnight is ideal.
• Before cooking, re-blend the batter at high speed for 30 seconds. This will reincorporate the ingredients, a vital step in getting an even golden color on the crepes. Wipe 1/2 teaspoon of oil on a large crepe pan or a 10-inch nonstick skillet with a paper towel. You don't want to see any drops of oil in the pan, just coat with the thinnest layer. Heat the pan over medium heat until hot.
• Ladle 1/4 cup batter into the pan. Working quickly off the heat, swirl and shake the pan to evenly coat the bottom with the batter. Return to the heat and cook the crepe, reducing the heat if it's browning too quickly, until the edges are light golden, about 2 minutes. Slide a spatula underneath to loosen the crepe and carefully flip it over. Cook on the other side until a few brown spots appear, 15 to 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, wiping pan with oil each time. Stack the crepes on the plate as you go (you should have about 15 total). Let the crepes cool for 10 minutes before serving or filling.
• For fillings, we suggest Nutella and bananas or peanut butter and jelly for sweet crepes. Ham and cheese makes a great filling for savory crepes.

CREPES BUFFET

Steps:

• For the crepe batter, combine flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add eggs milk and brandy to the well and whisk to combine. Stir in melted butter. Cover batter and set aside for 25 minutes.
• For the white sauce, cook butter and flour 2 minutes over moderate heat in a preheated medium saucepan. Whisk in milk and season sauce with salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Simmer over low heat 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and heat sauce through, another 5 minutes over low heat. Turn burner to warm and stir sauce occasionally to avoid a skin forming. Whisk in a little milk if sauce thickens too much to ladle.
• To assemble fillings, place cheeses in small bowls with serving spoons. Cook broccoli florets in simmering water or in 1 cup of water in the microwave for 3 minutes on high. Drain and place steamed broccoli in a bowl. Defrost spinach in the microwave oven and drain well. Transfer drained spinach to a kitchen towel and wring to remove any residual liquid. Fluff spinach with finger tips and set into a small serving dish. Place chopped ham into a bowl with serving fork. Drain and separate lump crab meat and place in a serving dish with a seafood fork.
• For the bacon and mushroom filling, heat a small skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and bacon and saute 3 minutes. Add chopped shallots and sliced mushrooms. Season the filling with salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes until mushrooms are just tender. Transfer filling to a serving bowl.
• To make the dessert filling, drain cherries over a saucepan to catch the juice. Heat the juice, orange zest and cinnamon to a bubble over moderate heat. Combine cornstarch with water and stir to the hot juice. Remove the cinnamon stick. Allow sauce to thicken then stir in cherries and Kirsch or Amaretto and keep sauce warm over very low heat. When your are ready to serve dessert, place filling in crepes, wrap and brush with melted butter. Top crepes with powdered sugar and serve.
• Crepes should be made in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cover the bottom of the pan with just enough batter to coat. Turn the crepes with a toothpick or a very thin spatula.
• Possible combinations for fillings: cheese or cheeses melted into white sauce with broccoli and/or spinach, warm white sauce with crab, ham with cheese or ham with cheesy white sauce, cheese with bacon mushroom filling, etc. The fillings are only limited by one's taste buds.

BASIC CREPES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.
• Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
• Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.