Crepes – Palačinky

Ingredients:

Timing
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes, about 2 minutes per crepe
Total Time: 45 minutes
Makes
9 – 13

Crepes
3 cups (710 ml) milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of salt
1 egg
2 cups (280 g) all purpose flour
Oil (for frying)

Toppings
Pictured Topping: strawberry jam, whipped cream, strawberries, powdered sugar
Also Pictured: sweet cocoa powder, chopped walnuts, whipped cream, chocolate syrup

TIPS
» Other traditional jam toppings in the Czech Republic are apricot and currant,
but you can use any jam or preserves of your choice.
» Lately in the Czech Republic there are increasing varieties of toppings,
such as hazelnut spread, bananas, sliced oranges, blueberries, cherries,
or raspberries.

DIRECTIONS
Making the Crepes

1. Into a large bowl add 3 cups milk, a pinch of salt, 1 egg, 2 cups all purpose
   flour and 1 Tbsp melted unsalted butter. Whisk very well to create the batter.
   (You can use a mixer.)
2. Heat a standard size frying pan on the stove on high heat for about a minute
   with 1 tsp oil (for each crepe). Tilt the pan in all directions until the oil
   spreads to cover most of the pan.
3. With a ladle, get a scoop of batter and pour it in the middle of the pan.
   Immediately pick up the pan and swirl it in all directions so the batter
   spreads thinly to the edges of the pan.
4. When air pockets appear, check underneath the crepe with a spatula to
   see when it browns. It will take about a minute on high heat and when it is
   golden brown it is ready to flip. Flip the crepe with the spatula and shake the
   pan to remove any wrinkles that can sometimes be caused by flipping. Cook
   the other side for about a minute or until golden brown.
5. Pick up the pan and slide the crepe off the pan onto a plate.
6. Add another tsp of oil, spread around, add batter, pick up the pan and spread
   batter, repeat.
7. Keep stacking the crepes on one plate so they keep each other warm.

Adding the Toppings

8. Strawberry Crepe:
   Spread your jam of choice (the most common is strawberry) as a 2 inch (5 cm)
   wide strip from the top of the crepe to the bottom. Now from either the left
   or right side, roll up the crepe and set on another plate. You can add whipped
   cream, put chopped strawberries or other fruit on top and sprinkle with
   powdered sugar.
9. Chocolate Crepe:
   Sprinkle sweet cocoa powder on the entire crepe and add chopped walnuts.
   Then fold the whole crepe in half and then fold it in half again so it is now
   a quarter of its original size. Top it off with a big scoop of whipped cream,
   chopped walnuts, sweet cocoa powder and lastly, drizzle chocolate syrup
   over the entire crepe.