Buckwheat crêpes are one of my favourite things to eat especially on weekend mornings. I like mine very thin, crispy, and lacy. A small amount of jam or nut butter is just enough to bring a balance of sweet and salty. You can also add caramelised peaches or stewed plums as a topping. Note that this batter is best after it has a chance to rest in the fridge overnight.
Ingredients
For the crêpes
- 2 cups (450 g) filtered water
- 11⁄4 cups (175 g) buckwheat flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1⁄4 cup (55 g) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1⁄2 cup Chocolate-Hazelnut Butter, at room temperature
For the chocolate-hazelnut butter
- 2 cups (300 g) raw hazelnuts
- 3 ounces (85 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1⁄2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Method
For the chocolate-hazelnut butter
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer the hazelnuts to a clean kitchen towel and rub them together to peel off the skins. It’s OK if you cannot remove them completely, but try to get as much as you can, as the skin is bitter.
- Transfer the hazelnuts to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until creamy, stopping to scrape the bowl a few times. It will take a few minutes to pulverise the hazelnuts; exactly how long depends on your machine. If the motor gets hot, stop and restart a few minutes later.
- Meanwhile, bring a small pot with 2 inches of water to a simmer. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and position over the pot. Reduce the heat to low and melt the chocolate, making sure no water gets into the bowl and no flames reach the sides. Add the melted chocolate to the blender and process until smooth and incorporated. Add the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt and blend until combined.
- Transfer the butter to a glass jar with an airtight lid, seal, and store at room temperature for 2 weeks or in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. It will harden solid when refrigerated, so bring the butter to room temperature a couple of hours before using.
For the crêpes
- Combine the water, flour, eggs, olive oil, sugar, and salt in a blender, and puree on high speed until well mixed, about 30 seconds. You can use the batter right away, but I like to chill it in the refrigerator overnight, which allows the flour to hydrate fully and results in more flavour, elasticity, and crispness.
- When you are ready to cook the crêpes, give the batter one good stir, especially if it has been resting in the refrigerator. Heat a nonstick crêpe pan over medium-high heat. Brush the pan with a little bit of the melted butter, then pour in about 1/3 cup of the batter while swirling the pan to ensure it goes in as a thin layer. Small bubbles will appear around the batter as it cooks. Tuck in the edges with a rubber spatula and cook for 30 seconds, or until golden. Grab an edge with your fingers and gently flip the crêpe over, or use a spatula if the pan is too hot. Finish cooking for another 30 seconds, then slide onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Spread about 1 teaspoon of the Chocolate-Hazelnut Butter over half of each crêpe, fold, and serve immediately while warm. Any leftover batter can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
A recipe from Canelle et Vanille by Aran Goyoaga (Sasquatch Books).
This originally appeared on House & Garden UK
