Authentic French Nutella Strawberry Crepes
Traditional French crepes made with warm milk, butter, and aromatics like dark rum and orange blossom water. Thin, crispy edges, and filled with Nutella and strawberries.
Servings: 9 serves
Equipment
- 1 Electric Crepe Maker & Griddle Cooktop Nonstick 12 Inch
- 1 Wooden Rozell
- 1 Crepe spatula
Ingredients
The Liquids
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter
The Dry Mix
- 1 ⅔ cups all purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp vanilla sugar
- 1 pinch salt
The Binding & Aromatics
- 3 large Eggs
- 2 tsp dark rum
- 1 tsp orange blossom water see post above for alternative
For Cooking
- 1 tbsp cooking oil for greasing the pan
The Filling
- 1/2 tbsp Nutella per crepe, plus extra melted to drizzle
- 2 cups fresh strawberries sliced
- 1 optional Whipped cream canned (or fresh see post above)
Instructions
- Warm the Milk & Butter In a saucepan, combine the milk and butter. Gently heat until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is warm to the touch (do not let it boil). Remove from heat and let it cool slightly for a minute so it doesn't scramble the eggs.
- Combine Dry Ingredients In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, vanilla sugar, and salt.
- Crack the eggs into the center of the flour mixture. Begin whisking gently, breaking the yolks, while gradually pouring in the warm milk and butter mixture. Whisk continuously until the batter is smooth and lump-free.
- Pour in the dark rum and orange blossom water. Whisk again until fully incorporated.
- Cover the bowl and place the batter in the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes. (This relaxes the gluten for tender crepes).
- While the batter rests, prepare a container or jar filled with water. Place your crepe spreading tool (rozell) inside the water so it is wet and ready to use. Slice your strawberries.
- Heat a 10-inch crepe pan over medium-high heat. Lightly grease the surface with a paper towel dipped in the cooking oil.
- Give the batter a quick whisk (flour settles during resting). Pour a ladleful of batter into the center of the hot pan. Immediately use the wet rozell to spread the batter in a circular motion to coat the pan evenly.
- Dip the rozell back into the water between every crepe.
- Cook for about 1 minute until the underside is golden and the edges lift slightly. Flip the crepe and cook for another 30 seconds on the other side. Transfer to a plate. Repeat until all batter is used.
- Spread Nutella over one half of a warm crepe. Top with sliced strawberries. Fold into a triangle or roll up. Top with whipped cream and a drizzle of melted Nutella.
Video
Notes
- Why Cornstarch? This is the secret to meltingly tender crepes. Using a mix of flour and cornstarch cuts the gluten, making the crepes lighter and crispier on the edges compared to using 100% flour.
- Warm Milk & Butter. Most recipes have you melt butter and add it to cold milk, which causes the butter to clump up immediately. By warming them together, you create a smooth, emulsified batter that doesn't separate.
- The Rest is Best. Don't skip the 30 minute chill time! This allows the flour to fully hydrate and the gluten to relax. If you skip this, your crepes will be rubbery instead of tender.
- The Flavor Secret. The combination of dark rum and orange blossom water is what gives these crepes that authentic "French street stall" aroma. If you can't find orange blossom water, vanilla bean paste is a great substitute, but the original combo is magic.
- The First Crepe Rule. The first crepe is almost always a throwaway (I usually eat it straight away!) . It seasons the pan. Don't stress if the first one looks messy!
Nutrition
Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 52mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 398IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 2mg