Crepes originated in Bretagne and were mostly used as a daily bread. They were once cooked on large cast iron pans heated over wood fires but are now made with hot plates heated with electricity or gas. They are prepared by pouring a thin batter onto a hot frying pan, with just a trace of butter on the pan’s surface. The batter must not be too thin, nor the pan too hot. The batter is spread evenly over the cooking surface by tilting the pan. Crepes are versatile and easy to make. They can be enjoyed with a savoury filling of ham, mushrooms, eggs, spinach, peppers and sour cream – which can be meals by themselves, or they can be sweetened with banana, peach, haskap berry, any field berry, cherry, and nutella. Top them up with whipped cream and shaved chocolate and watch your guests go speechless. One added bit of fun to have with these is fortune-telling; it is a Bretagne tradition to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crepe pan in the other and flip the crepe into the air. If you manage to catch the crepe in the pan, your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year. Better chances than the lottery!

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash ground nutmeg
Dash ground cinnamon

Filling
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash ground nutmeg
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cup blueberries
2 cups fresh haskap berries
2 cups halved fresh strawberries
Whipped cream + shaved chocolate

Instructions

In a small bowl, beat the eggs, milk and butter. Combine the flour, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon; add to egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the orange juice, stir in blueberries, haskap berries and strawberries. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally. Set aside. Heat a lightly greased 8-inch non-stick skillet; pour 2 tablespoons batter into the center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to evenly coat bottom. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing skillet as needed. Stack cooled crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between. To serve, spoon 1/4 cup filling over each crepe; roll up. Top with whipped cream and shaved chocolate. Makes 12 servings.