Crêpes

Their history goes back centuries, and much further still, since our ancestors already made a kind of flatbread from grain and water, cooked on hot stones.

But it is above all in Brittany that crêpes earned their standing, becoming one of the essential symbols of French culinary heritage.

Sweet or savory, eaten at Candlemas, at teatime or simply for pleasure, crêpes immediately evoke childhood memories, moments of sharing and that very simple indulgence we never tire of.

A recipe that put me through my paces

I should warn you: before I could present this recipe, it took a serious number of attempts.

Failed crêpes, frankly ugly crêpes, crêpes as hard as stone, others impossible to flip, some that would not cook properly… and I will not even mention all the ones that went in the bin.

Because when you take the eggs, the dairy milk and the gluten out of a recipe this traditional, recovering the texture of a real crêpe becomes a genuine challenge.

And yet I had no intention of giving up that pleasure.

My aim was very clear: to recover the sensations of the crêpes I used to eat.

I wanted crêpes that were soft and supple, that fold without breaking, that can be rolled, filled and eaten sweet or savory.

Crêpes that hold together perfectly, that keep properly and that stay pleasant to eat.

Though as for keeping, you first have to have some left. Because generally, when you make crêpes at home, they disappear almost as fast as they cook.

After a great deal of research, adjustment and persistence, I finally arrived at a rice-flour recipe that fully satisfies me.

A fully plant-based, gluten-free recipe that recovers everything I love about a good traditional crêpe.

And believe me, after that many attempts, what a satisfaction.

A recipe to share and to vary as you like

What I particularly love about crêpes is how extraordinarily versatile they are.

A little sugar, some jam, melted chocolate, fresh fruit, a savory filling… anything is possible.

That too is the magic of crêpes: a very simple preparation that can become, depending on the mood, a snack, a dessert or even a whole meal.

Through this recipe I mostly want to pass on the fruit of all my attempts, so that you in turn can understand the ingredients it needs, get the preparation right and make fine plant-based, gluten-free crêpes.

And for lovers of Brittany, I have not forgotten you. Buckwheat crêpes will have their place on the blog too. I have not yet worked them out, but that will be the next adventure.

And soon… the famous crêpe Suzette

It is impossible to talk about crêpes without mentioning another monument of French cooking: the crêpe Suzette.

That great classic, deliciously scented with citrus, clearly deserves its place among the recipes I want to rework.

So I will soon be showing you my plant-based, gluten-free version of this iconic dessert on my social media.

And it will certainly not be the only variation on this crêpe recipe.