Banana Caramel Crepes

Dessert for Breakfast?

Well, why not! Once in a while we all deserve that kind of pampering. At our place, we love dessert for breakfast on weekends and special occasions. These lovely Banana Caramel Crepes we first made for a Father’s Day Brunch for our #1 guy who has a chronic sweettooth. It’s a plate full of melt-in-the-mouth crepes, oozing with wholesome bananas and gooey caramel sauce. The very idea of making them warms my heart!

Sweet or Savoury – Choose Crepes for a Yummy Breakfast:

I love crepes for how versatile they can be, sweet or savoury. In fact my first memory of crepes is the savoury ones my mom used to make, delicate, super soft with chicken and vegetables wrapped inside them. You can stir in a sweetener of your choice into the batter for sweet ones and your favourits herbs and spices for savoury crepes. Or you can simply make plain crepes and top them with honey, maple syrup, sugar dusting, sauces, fruits, vegetables, cooked meats and cheeses. Really, the sky is the limit!

These lighter and more refined cousins of pancakes are like clouds in the mouth. Crepes are one of the easiest and quickest forms of breakfast bread to make in the morning, once you learn a few tips and tricks to make a perfect batch each time.

Believe It Or Not, Making Perfect Crepes is Easy!

Consistency:
The consistency of the batter is very important for making soft, pliable crepes. It should be fairly thin, thinner than pancakes batter or heavy cream. You can beat the batter by hand whisk to make it lump free but the best silky consistency comes if you blend all the ingredients in an electric blender.

Make Ahead:
It is recommended to leave the batter for 30 minutes to rest. Since we usually don’t have that much time to wait in the morning, it’s best to make the batter a night before and refrigerate. Refrigeration makes the quality of crepes a lot better too.

Proper Heat:
You might find it tricky to get the first one right but once you get the hang of right temperature under the pan, it’s really a piece of cake to make a whole big batch in minutes. Ideally the heat should be set to medium or medium low. I hold my hand 1 inch above the pan to check the heat. If it feels comfortably hot than than the pan is ready. As soon as you see the crepe is set and bubbles appear on the surface, it’s ready to flip. If the heat is too high, the batter won’t spread properly in the pan and edges will burn before the centre is cooked. If the pan is cold, the batter will stick and the crepes will become stiff by the time they are fully cooked.

Choose the Right Tools:
A heavy bottomed pan distribes heat evenly and is best for the perfectly cooked crepes. Lightly brush the pan with butter each time to keep the crepes from sticking to the pan. DO NOT add to much butter or oil to the pan as it will make the crepes crispy fried and they won’t fold nicely. A thin flipper or rubber spatula are best to flip the delicate crepes.

Serving Suggestions:

Now it’s up to you how sinful you wanna make these Banana Caramel Crepes – add a dollop of cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or drown them in hot vanilla custard. I enjoy them with just a little sprinkle of cinnamon. If you are not very fond of bananas, you can replace them with apples as well, will taste equally divine. FOR EGG FREE CREPES,
omit eggs and increase the quantity of butter in the recipe with a 1-2 tablespoons of water.

Beat eggs, milk and vanilla together. Add melted butter. You can brown the butter before adding it to the batter too. It gives a nice depth and richness of flavour to the crepes.

Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Make a smooth batter, consistency of honey.

Refrigerate the batter for at least 30 minutes. Batter can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated overnight.

Grease a skillet or non-stick pan with butter or oil lightly and set over medium heat(don’t let the butter burn).

When the pan is hot, pour 1/4 cup or 1 full serving spoon of batter into the pan.

Spread out instantly with a spatula in as good a round shape as you can manage.

If you want perfect rounds, make them in a smaller sauce pan and swirl the pan to coat the bottom. If the heat is right, the batter should spread out easily.

Using a spatula flip the crepe in about 15 seconds or as soon as you see bubbles on the surface of the crepe, should be light golden. Continue to cook another 15 seconds more.

Continue with the remaining batter, greasing the pan every time if required.

To make the filling melt butter and brown sugar on a low heat. Add cream, bananas, cinnamon and vanilla.

Cook for a few seconds or till the sauce is of the consistency of honey.

Pour the banana filling generously in the middle of the crepe. Fold the crepe in half, quarters or roll them up. Serve with vanilla ice cream, cream or vanilla custard.

ENJOY and don’t forget to give your feedback.