Crepes Buffet Food

HOW TO SET UP A CREPE BAR

Steps:

• For the crepe batter:In a large bowl, whisk flour and salt. Whisk in vanilla, eggs and egg yolks until smooth. Gradually pour in milk while whisking, and whisk until well mixed. Whisk in melted butter.Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to 48 hours.To fry the crepes:Preheat oven to 200ºF (95ºC). Line an oven-proof dish with a large piece of parchment paper. Remove batter from fridge and give it a gentle whisk.Heat an 8-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add a small amount of butter to the pan, let it melt, and swirl it to cover the bottom of the pan. Pour a small amount of the batter into the middle of the pan-a small ladle works really well for this job. Immediately tilt the pan to swirl the batter so it evenly covers the bottom of the pan. Cook until the crepe begins to get some color, about 1-3 minutes. Using an offset spatula, loosen the edges of the crepe, lift it, and then use your hands to flip it (be careful not to burn yourself!). Cook until the second side begins to get some color as well, about a minute.Transfer the crepe to the prepared dish, cover with parchment paper, and put in the oven to keep warm.Repeat with remaining crepe batter.Note: If you don't plan to serve the crepes immediately, don't keep them warm in the oven. Instead just keep them in a stack on a plate next to the stove and store in a resealable baggy in the refrigerator once they cool. Reheat in an oven-proof dish, wrapped in parchment paper, in a 200ºF oven for about 20 minutes.

THE BEST CREPES

Steps:

• Add the milk, eggs, flour, sugar, vanilla and salt to a blender. Puree on high speed until completely smooth and slightly thickened and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the melted butter and puree until incorporated, 30 seconds more. Let the batter rest in the blender carafe for at least 1 hour at room temperature or refrigerate up to 24 hours. The longer you allow the batter to rest and hydrate, the lighter and softer the texture of the crepes will be; overnight is ideal.
• Before cooking, re-blend the batter at high speed for 30 seconds. This will reincorporate the ingredients, a vital step in getting an even golden color on the crepes. Wipe 1/2 teaspoon of oil on a large crepe pan or a 10-inch nonstick skillet with a paper towel. You don't want to see any drops of oil in the pan, just coat with the thinnest layer. Heat the pan over medium heat until hot.
• Ladle 1/4 cup batter into the pan. Working quickly off the heat, swirl and shake the pan to evenly coat the bottom with the batter. Return to the heat and cook the crepe, reducing the heat if it's browning too quickly, until the edges are light golden, about 2 minutes. Slide a spatula underneath to loosen the crepe and carefully flip it over. Cook on the other side until a few brown spots appear, 15 to 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, wiping pan with oil each time. Stack the crepes on the plate as you go (you should have about 15 total). Let the crepes cool for 10 minutes before serving or filling.
• For fillings, we suggest Nutella and bananas or peanut butter and jelly for sweet crepes. Ham and cheese makes a great filling for savory crepes.

CREPES BUFFET

Steps:

• For the crepe batter, combine flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add eggs milk and brandy to the well and whisk to combine. Stir in melted butter. Cover batter and set aside for 25 minutes.
• For the white sauce, cook butter and flour 2 minutes over moderate heat in a preheated medium saucepan. Whisk in milk and season sauce with salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Simmer over low heat 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and heat sauce through, another 5 minutes over low heat. Turn burner to warm and stir sauce occasionally to avoid a skin forming. Whisk in a little milk if sauce thickens too much to ladle.
• To assemble fillings, place cheeses in small bowls with serving spoons. Cook broccoli florets in simmering water or in 1 cup of water in the microwave for 3 minutes on high. Drain and place steamed broccoli in a bowl. Defrost spinach in the microwave oven and drain well. Transfer drained spinach to a kitchen towel and wring to remove any residual liquid. Fluff spinach with finger tips and set into a small serving dish. Place chopped ham into a bowl with serving fork. Drain and separate lump crab meat and place in a serving dish with a seafood fork.
• For the bacon and mushroom filling, heat a small skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and bacon and saute 3 minutes. Add chopped shallots and sliced mushrooms. Season the filling with salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes until mushrooms are just tender. Transfer filling to a serving bowl.
• To make the dessert filling, drain cherries over a saucepan to catch the juice. Heat the juice, orange zest and cinnamon to a bubble over moderate heat. Combine cornstarch with water and stir to the hot juice. Remove the cinnamon stick. Allow sauce to thicken then stir in cherries and Kirsch or Amaretto and keep sauce warm over very low heat. When your are ready to serve dessert, place filling in crepes, wrap and brush with melted butter. Top crepes with powdered sugar and serve.
• Crepes should be made in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cover the bottom of the pan with just enough batter to coat. Turn the crepes with a toothpick or a very thin spatula.
• Possible combinations for fillings: cheese or cheeses melted into white sauce with broccoli and/or spinach, warm white sauce with crab, ham with cheese or ham with cheesy white sauce, cheese with bacon mushroom filling, etc. The fillings are only limited by one's taste buds.

SEAFOOD CREPES

Steps:

• For the crepes:
• Place the flour and sugar in a medium sized mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in the milk, egg, vegetable oil, and butter. Heat a nonstick pan or crepe pan over moderate heat. Brush the pan lightly with butter.
• Pour 1/4 cup of the crepe batter into the center of the hot pan and tilt it in all directions. The batter should coat the pan in a light covering. After about 30 seconds, the bottom side of the crepe should be lightly browned and the crepe should be ready to be flipped. Shake the pan in order to release the crepe, then turn it by using a spatula or the flip of your wrist. Cook the crepe for an additional 15 to 20 seconds and turn it out onto a plate. Repeat this process with the remainder of the crepe batter. Use a round 4-inch cookie cutter to cut the crepes into hors d' oeuvre sizes.
• For the filling:
• In a small saucepot, bring the white wine to a boil and reduce by half. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Mix the cornstarch together with the cold water and whisk it into the cream and wine mixture until thickened. Let cool. In a large mixing bowl, place the crab, shrimp, and chopped egg and toss together lightly. Fold in the thickened cream mixture and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add the parsley.
• To assemble:
• Place a heaping tablespoon of the seafood filling in the upper left hand side of a crepe. Fold the crepe in half and then fold it in half again. Continue this process until all the crepes are filled, or all the filling is used. Serve the crepes at room temperature placed inside folded doilies.

CLASSIC CRêPES

Steps:

• Sift the flour with a pinch of salt into a medium-size bowl and make a well in the middle. Mix the milk and 100ml of water together. Break the eggs into the well and start whisking slowly. Add the milk and water in a steady stream, whisking constantly and gradually incorporating the flour as you do so.
• Whisk until the batter is smooth and all the flour has been incorporated. Set the batter aside to rest for 30 mins, then whisk the melted butter into the batter.
• Heat the pan over a medium heat. Very lightly grease the pan with melted butter. Using a ladle, pour roughly 2 tbsp of batter into the pan and swirl it around so the bottom of the pan is evenly coated. You want to use just enough batter to make a delicate, lacy pancake. Cook the pancake for about 45 secs on one side until golden and then using a palette knife or fish slice, flip the pancake over and cook the other side for about 30 secs until it freckles.
• Slide the pancake out of the pan and either serve immediately or stack on a plate with baking parchment in between. Continue until all the batter is used up.

CREPES

Steps:

• Combine flour, milk, eggs, and oil.
• Add salt.
• Heat a lightly greased 6 inch skillet; remove from heat.
• Spoon in 2 Tbsp batter; lift and tilt skillet to spread evenly.
• Return to heat; brown on one side only.
• To remove, invert pan over paper toweling.
• Repeat with remaining batter.
• Fill with your favorite filling.
• Here's a few we like: Any flavor fruit jam, sweetened fresh peaches, cream cheese and pineapple, ham and maple syrup.
• Endless ideas.