In our house, crêpes or pancakes are staple I'm-hungry-and-tired-and-want-pudding items. This batter doesn't need resting and only takes a few minutes to make. Last night we wanted something sweet after some delicious mackerel from the market we went to and these seemed like a great idea. Usually we make them with all plain flour when we're making sweet pancakes but wholemeal is a nice change especially if you're filling them with more than sugar and lemon.
As I was melting the butter to stir into the batter, I left it a moment longer than normal and it started foaming. I decided to keep going into brown butter and see what happened. I'm very pleased I did. The gorgeous nutty flavour works really well with the flavour of the wholemeal - it would also add something extra to plain flour ones.
I filled them with sliced white nectarines, homemade vanilla ice cream and lashings of maple syrup. Absolutely gorgeous. I had to make them again this afternoon to photograph them and I promise last night wasn't a fluke.
Brown Butter Wholemeal Crêpes
(adapted from Delia's Complete Cookery Course)
25g butter
60g wholemeal flour
50g plain flour
2 eggs
200ml milk
50ml water
Put the butter in a medium frying pan and cook the butter until the foam has subsided and there are little brown bits floating. Leave to cool while you make the batter. Sift the flours into a big bowl. Make a well in the middle and crack one egg into it. Whisk into the flour, then add another egg and whisk in. Slowly add the milk then water, working in the flour from the sides. Whisk until smooth, then whisk in the browned butter. When you're ready to make them, use a little butter to grease the frying pan and wait until the pan is starting to smoke, then turn the heat down a little bit. Pour a small amount of batter into the pan and swirl. Flip when browned and then when ready, take out of the pan. You can keep them warm if you like, or just eat as and when they're ready.
(Makes about 12-14, depending on size etc.
