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Whole Wheat Crepes French Style

by Shirley
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Whole Wheat French Crepe

Whole wheat crepes French Style features organic stone-milled whole wheat flour, organic flour, coconut oil, and loads of eggs. Berries, sliced bananas, and semi-sweet chocolate chips make up the yummy fillings that complement the crepe, making it a perfectly hearty everyday breakfast.

Paris Vacation Inspired this Whole Wheat Crepes French Style

During our vacation in Paris in the summer of 2019, we tried freshly made French Crepes in a little coffee shop along the Seine River. It is possible that it tastes especially delicious because we just had walked for three hours straight. LOL. Below is the picture we took in front of the shop after we enjoyed a nice cup of tea along with the crepes.

It worth mentioning that my younger son got this burgundy French beret in a souvenir shop next door. He loved it so much that he wore it every day for the rest of the trip, including in 100° Fahrenheit (37° Celsius) hot Rome.

Paris, 2019 Summer Vacation, after enjoying French Crepe in a small coffee shop alongside the Seine River

Crepes is probably one dish that every culture has its own version.

I was born and grew up in Suzhou, an ancient city dubbed as “paradise on earth” in the heart of the Yangtze River Delta area. Suzhou boasts over 2,000 years of history and now is also one of the economic powerhouses in China. Sweet savory crepes called “Mian Yi” (面衣) featuring either wild-grown aroma scallions or Xing Chun tender leaves are a local everyday delicacy as I grew up in the ’70s.

Northern China has its savory salty version featuring fermented bean paste as a key seasoning, which is also popular street food in Beijing called “Jian Bin” (煎饼).

Stone-milled organic whole wheat flour works perfectly for this Whole Wheat Crepes

I started experimenting with making French crepes for breakfast after we got back from Paris. I noticed pancake houses in the States offer French crepes as a breakfast item. My first thought is to make it as healthy & hearty as possible for my two growing boys.

I have some organic stone-milled whole wheat flour lying around from a 50 lbs bag I bought a while back. It is a quality genuine whole wheat flour, gives you complete nutrients from wheat husks, wheat brans, to wheat germs.

However, it also means it tastes very grainy and rough. I tried incorporating them into making pizza doughs, cookies, and noodles with little success without comprising hugely on taste. I did successfully add a tiny portion when I make a strong-flavored bread such as banana or zucchini bread.

These French crepes feature yummy fillings including berries, bananas, and chocolate chips. I wondered whether I might have a better chance of success. I am so glad to say that mission accomplished. This becomes one of my boys’ favorite breakfast items these days.

How to make Whole Wheat Crepes French Style perfectly every time?

It is easier than you thought to make these yummy whole-wheat French crepes. You will need a quality nonstick pan and a wooden crepe spreader.

Step 1: Prepare the batter

Mixing milk with apple cider vinegar is mainly to create homemade buttermilk. Vinegar also helps make eggs tastier. I added 3 large eggs for every 1 3/4 cup of flour, making this recipe very hearty.

Organic coconut oil provides nutrients and aroma. Coconut oil has a higher melting point and stays in a solid-state at room temperature, around 70-degree Fahrenheit ( 21-degree Celsius). To melt coconut oil, add it to a glass bowl and then soak the bowl in boiling water.

Alternatively, you can use another superfood oil avocado oil. I use avocado oil during wintertime when coconut oil becomes solid hard, and I don’t have the extra time to soften it ahead of time.

Arrowroot flour becomes my go-to starch awhile back when I jump-started the healthier living journey. It is a gluten-free superfood and gets all the jobs done.

The organic arrowroot flour acts similarly to cornstarch, with bonus nutritional benefits. Because I added a larger portion of whole wheat flour in the recipe, the arrowroot flour will help smooth and bind the batter together.

You may notice this batter is more watery than you thought, but don’t worry. Because of the hearty whole-wheat content, we need the batter to be thinner so it doesn’t turn out to be too dense.

Step 2: Make the crepes

  • Get a 12-inch non-stick fry-pan, turn the heat on medium, and heat for bout 2 minutes
  • Get a tiny drop of coconut oil on a small kitchen brush, quickly brush the pan to condition the pan. You will only need to do this once initially to condition the non-stick fry-pan.
  • Pour batter, a little less than 1/2 cup, in the middle of the pan, immediately and quickly spread evenly using a crepe spreader. Cook for 1 minute, and then flip using a slotted turner and cook the other side of the crepe for about 30 seconds, and then remove the crepe from the pan.
  • Repeat to cook all crepes. As the cooking continues, the pan gets heated more, turn the heat to low-medium if needed.

Some tips:

  • Condition the non-stick pan to help flip the crepe easier.
  • Spread the batter immediately, quickly and evenly is the key
  • The pan gets heated more after you have cooked the first crepe, keep it at low-medium for cooking the rest of the crepes.

Step 3: Serve Whole Wheat Crepes French Style

  • Lay French crepe flat onto a microwave-friendly plate. Add berries, bananas, and top with chocolate chips, fold both sides into the middle to overlay.
  • Cover it with a microwave glass plate cover to maintain the moisture, and microwave for 30 seconds.
  • Serve immediately.

Berries such as strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and blackberry go very well with sliced bananas, along with semi-sweet chocolate chips. When I have neither berries nor cherries handy, I sometime use cherries or a sweet, sour crunching apple instead and chop it into little pieces.

Tips for Using Crepe Spreader:

If you haven’t used a crepe spreader before, there might learn curves to expect. However, it is easy to speed up as long as you pay attention to a few essential tips.

Hold the tip of the crepe spreader handle with fingers, which gives you the maximum leverage, but using wrist strength to guide the movement of the spreader. This reminds me of using a Chinese calligraphy brush.

Be firm but flexible and gentle. The spreader barely touches the batter and swirls swiftly in a circular motion in the same direction continuously.

It is important that the spreader only goes in one direction, either clockwise or counterclockwise. I am right-handed and typically use a clockwise circular motion.

Do not go back and try to fix areas, as there is no fix.

Tips for a Smooth Whole Wheat Crepes:

If you can, make the batter the night before and store it in the refrigerator. First thing in the morning, remove it from the refrigerator and let it warm up to room temperature before cooking.

This way, gluten inside the wheat flour will be adequately activated, which shall help make the French Crepe tastes softer.

Like yummy & healthy breakfast? Make sure you check out the fluffy pancake and homemade hash browns.

Whole Wheat French Crepe

Whole Wheat Crepes Recipe {French Style, Yummy Healthy}

Yield: 8 French Crepes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

These semi-sweet whole wheat crepes feature stone-milled organic whole wheat flour, organic coconut oil or avocado oil, loads of eggs, berries, bananas, and semi-sweet chocolate chips, making it a perfect everyday yummy, healthy, and hearty breakfast.

Ingredients

For Crepe:

  • 2 cups of whole milk
  • 2 tsp organic apple cider vinegar
  • 3 large organic or cage-free eggs
  • 2 tbsp organic virgin coconut oil or avocado oil
  • 2 tbsp organic sugar
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground Himalayan pink salt. About 6-8 turns for my salt grinder
  • 120 g all-purpose flour, about 3/4 cup, organic unbleached preferred
  • 160 g whole wheat flour, about 1 cup, organic stone-milled preferred
  • 1 tbsp organic arrowroot flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract, see notes

For Fillings:

  • 2 cup berries such as blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, or chopped strawberries.
  • 4 bananas, peeled and sliced
  • 3 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the batter

  1. Add milk and apple cider vinegar into a mixing bowl, whisk till fully blended, about 1 minute
    Making Batter for Whole Wheat French Crepe
  2. Add eggs, coconut oil or avocado oil, sugar, and salt into the bowl, whisk till fully blended, about 1 minute
    Batter for Whole Wheat French Crepe
  3. Sift in wheat flour and all-purpose flour, whisk to blend about 3-4 minutes
  4. Add arrowroots flour and vanilla extract, whisk to blend for about 1 minute

Step 2: Cook the crepes

  1. Get a 12" non-stick pan, turn the heat on medium, and heat for 2 minutes
  2. Get a tiny drop of coconut oil on a small kitchen brush, brush the base of the pan to condition it
  3. Pour batter, a little less than 1/2 cup, in the middle of the pan, immediately & quickly spread evenly using a crepe spreader. Cook for 1 minute or till the edge dries and slightly browns. Flip and cook the other side of the crepe for about 30 seconds, and then remove the crepe from the pan
    Whole Wheat French Crepe in the Fry-Pan
  4. Repeat Step 3 till you have cooked all the batter. The pan gets heated more as the cooking continues, turn it down to medium-low if needed.

Step 3: Serving French crepes

  1. Lay one or two French crepes flat onto a microwave-friendly plate, add berries, bananas, and chocolate chips, fold crepe(s) toward the middle to overlay
    Whole Wheat French Crepe
  2. Microwave for 30 seconds and serve.

Notes

  • For a quality non-stick fry-pan, you only need to condition the pan once in the very beginning and then you can carry on making the crepes.
  • You can store the rest of the creps in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
  • You can double the crepes for serving for extra heartiness.
  • For one crepe, Consider using 1/2 cup berries, half banana, and about 2 tsp semi-sweet chocolate chips as a starting point. Adjust based on your preference.
  • If you don't have berries on hand, use sweet-sour crunchy apple if you don't have either of the above-mentioned ingredients and cut into small bite-size pieces
  • Tips to use crepe spreader - hold the spreader with fingers firmly but using the wrist to guide the spreader. The spreader barely touches the batter and rotate in the same direction continuously. Do not try to go back and fix areas,
  • Tips to make the whole wheat crepe smoother or softer - If you can, make the batter the night before and store it in the refrigerator. First thing in the morning, remove it from the refrigerator and let it warm up to room temperature before cooking.

Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 354Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 29mgSodium 159mgCarbohydrates 61gFiber 6gSugar 20gProtein 9g

Nutrition calculation is provided by Nutritionix to the best knowledge based on ingredients description, and isn't always accurate.

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