Viennese Crêpes Recipes

BANH XEO (VIETNAMESE CREPES)

Steps:

• Mix rice flour, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and turmeric together in a large bowl. Beat in coconut milk to make a thick batter. Slowly beat in water until batter is the consistency of a thin crepe batter.
• Heat 1 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and garlic; cook and stir until fragrant but not browning, 1 to 2 minutes. Add shrimp; saute until cooked through and opaque, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with fish sauce and salt. Transfer filling to a bowl.
• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
• Wipe out skillet and reheat over medium heat. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoon oil. Stir crepe batter and pour 1/2 cup into the hot skillet, swirling to coat the bottom. Lay 3 or 4 of the cooked shrimp on the bottom half of the crepe. Top with a small handful of bean sprouts. Cook until batter looks set and edges start to brown, about 1 minute. Fold crepe over and slide onto an oven-safe plate.
• Place crepe in the preheated oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter and filling.
• Serve lettuce leaves alongside filled crepes. Break off pieces of crepe and roll up in lettuce leaves to eat.

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.

VIENNESE CRêPES

Steps:

• Crêpes: put 3 egg yolks and 1 tablespoons sugar in the top of a double boiler. Mix well - set over gently simmering water over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until yolk mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat -continue to whisk until mixture cools and becomes pale yellow.
• Preheat oven to 400°. Beat egg whites in a nonreactive bowl until foamy. Gradually add 3 tablespoons sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
• Sprinkle flour into yolk mixture. Mix well, then gently fold in egg whites. Spread 1/4 cup of batter on a nonstick cookie sheet, forming a 3'' round. Smooth, then repeat with remaining batter, forming 6 rounds in all. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. (Finished crêpes should be light and spongy.) Transfer to a cake rack to cool.
• For the filling, combine remaining 2 egg yolks, 4 tablespoons sugar, and white wine in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly to keep yolks from scrambling, over medium-high heat. Remove pan from heat and whisk for 1 minute more. Cool completely. Meanwhile, whip cream until stiff, then gently fold, a little at a time, into yolk mixture.
• To assemble, divide filling between crêpes, fold over, then sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and serve.

VIENNESE CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Cream the butter and add the sugar and vanilla and beat to fluffy. Add the flour and nuts and mix in. Chill the dough for at least one hour. The more it's chilled the less it spreads during baking.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Shape the dough into tiny crescents using 1 teaspoon of dough for each cookie. Place them on an ungreased sheet pan in rows, leaving 1 inch in between for spreading and bake until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.
• Let cool 5 minutes. Dredge them in confectioners' sugar.