How to Make Pancakes - French Style.

Our French student, Victoire.

I'm not known for my recipes, but the ones I occasionally share by my Foreign Language students are popular because they're original and authentic and this one is no exception.

It is one that my current lovely lady from France has introduced.  Her mum makes their crepes with rum IN the batter.  Taking the view that it would be rude not to insist she showed us as * Shrove Tuesday (or Mardis Gras as they call it) approaches, here are the ingredients -

250g flour (any kind, including gluten free)
3 eggs
pinch salt
1/2 litre milk (whichever is your normal sort, including coconut)
1 large spoon oil
1 large spoon dark rum




Place the flour in a bowl, with a hole in the middle. Crack the eggs into it, add the salt and mix with a wooden spoon.

Pour the milk in a little at a time, keep mixing until it is all liquid, add the oil and then the rum.

Leave the mixture to stand for two hours, occasionally stirring gently.

When it's time to cook the crepes, you can add a little water or a touch more milk to make it less thick if you want to.

Heat a little butter in your pan and add a ladle of mixture. Cook it slowly but well, then flip it over for the same.

[Or - it's common for the French to use an electronic machine called a Crep'Party which stands in the centre of the table.  It makes six at a time, so everyone present does their own, kind of fondue style].

They traditionally serve them with hot butter and sugar - much more delicious than it sounds, Nutella or caramel, jam or just sugar.  Victoire's favourite is banana, melted chocolate and cream.  They don't seem to do savoury ones, which is normally my preference, but having tried hers and added some extra rum for good measure, I can't complain!    

They would work perfectly with coconut milk too.

We made a pile of ten and kept them warm with foil. They don't stick to each other because of the oil in the mixture and there wasn't really any need for butter for frying because of it either.

Et voila!  The kids declared they could eat them for ever.

* 'Shrove' emanates from the word 'Shrive' meaning to confess and 'Mardis Gras' is French for 'Fat Tuesday,' referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting and penitential season of Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday. 

Bon Appetit!

(And in case you missed them here's a couple of other goodies -

How to Make a Perfect Carbonara Sauce. 

How not to make Fajtas but how to drink Tequila. ).