Crêpes

February 2 is Candlemas. If you're French, it's Chandeleur, best known as “Crêpe Day”!

I have wonderful childhood memories of my mom making crêpes, not only to celebrate Chandeleur, but throughout the year. Now, I enjoy making them for my son. His must be filled with Nutella, while I like mine with sugar and lemon juice. Fruit jam or apple sauce are good too. But please, keep it sweet! Savory fillings should only go into a buckwheat crêpe known as “galette”.

You do not need a special pan to make crêpes. A large frying pan (8 to 10") will do. However, it will be easier to flip the crêpes if the pan has short, sloped slides. If you are feeling brave, you can toss the crêpe in the air and (try and) catch it back in the pan. To me, it would be such a waste to end up with a crêpe on the floor, I take no risk and stick to the “flipping with a spatula” option. Because the batter doesn't contain much butter or oil, I recommend brushing the pan with melted butter between each crêpe so it doesn't stick.

Most recipes yield a crazy amount of crêpes. Not that too many crêpes is a bad thing but I personally think that a crêpe should be eaten right away and I don't like standing at the stove flipping crêpes for hours while everybody else is eating them!

Makes about 8 crêpes

• 2 eggs = 2 oeufs
• 1 cup milk = 235 ml de lait
• 1 cup all-purpose flour = 120 g de farine
• 1 tablespoon melted butter or canola oil = 15 g de beurre fondu ou 1 cuillère à soupe d'huile légère type Colza
• 1 tablespoon sugar = 1 cuillère à soupe de sucre
• 1/4 teaspoon salt = une pincée de sel

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Beat in the milk. Then, gradually add the flour and mix until very smooth. Add the melted butter, sugar, and salt and blend very well. It should be the consistency of very heavy cream. Add slightly more milk if necessary. Alternatively, to guarantee no lumps, you can do the mixing in a blender or food processor.

The batter can be used immediately but it is better if covered and chilled in the fridge for one hour or overnight.

Heat a pan and brush lightly with melted butter. Pour in about ¼ cup of batter. Quickly swirl the pan around so the batter spreads out thin. Cook over medium-high heat until the crêpe is set and the edges are lightly browned and lift up easily, about 2 minutes. Flip it, spread it with your favorite filling and cook for about another minute. Fold it in half, and then in half again, creating a triangle, or simply roll it up. Enjoy!