Crepes vrs Pancakes? What's the difference?

By looking at these photos there does not seem to any difference in these two products.  One simply seems to be pancake all rolled up.  If this is what you are thinking you are not entirely wrong.

A crepe is simply a thinner version of a pancake.  However it is how this thinness is achieved that is important.  A quick look at the difference between recipes soon shows how this difference is achieved.

A crepe recipe is identical to a pancake recipe in all but one regard.  Crepe recipes have higher ratio of liquid to flour then the standard pancake recipe will do.  So why is this?

There is actually a very rational reason for this minor difference. Crepe batter needs to have a high liquid content so that it spreads in an even thin layer over the cooking surface so that the resulting product is thin enough to be easily rolled.  Where as Pancakes are know for being thick and fluffy - this can be achieved with a thinner batter, but it easier to work with a thicker batter for nice pancakes.

Disgustingly simply reasoning, huh?  The good news is that if you find a pancake recipe you want to try as a crepe its simple to alter it too make crepes.

Almond pancakes

Today's sweet treat is an Almond flavored pancake.  For a healthy but slightly more expensive recipe you could use actual almonds - i will add a note on variations after initial recipe.

Ingredients

3/4 gluten-free flour

1/2 milk or dairy alternative

1 tsp mixed spice

1/2 almond essence

1 tsp golden syrup.

Directions

1 mix flour and spice in a bowl.  

2 heat milk until it is warm - not hot!  Stir the golden syrup and almond essence into the warm milk. 

3 Stir the milk mixture into bowl until you have a thick batter. 

4 Fry in oil until cooked - turning the pancake when you see 'bubbles' on the uncooked surface.

Variations

Using Marzipan

Grate up roughly a tbs of mazipan (depends on taste at this point) and mix it in at stage 3.

Using chopped almonds

Straight forward option - mix in at stage 3.

Almond puree

Soak a handful of fresh almonds in water overnight.  Puree in a blender with a small amount of milk alternative of your choice.  Mix into recipe as normal.  Please note that this option adds to the liquid content of the pancake batter, so you therefore may wish to adjust accordingly.

Lemon drizzle crepe

Today's brekky as featured above - crepe with lemon drizzle.  Was soooo yummy.  *drools*

Ingredients

Crepe

1 cup Gluten-free flour

1 1/2 milk or alternative

1 teaspoon golden syrup

1 teaspoon all spice

Lemon drizzle

Golden syrup

lemon juice

Directions

Heat milk so that is warm, but not hot, and stir in golden syrup.  Blend flour and all all spice in a mixing bowl.  Mix milk into flour, stirring well.

Heat up oil in a frying pan.  Pour batter into pan.  Flip when almost done.  After browning both sides plate up the crepe.

While the crepe is still hot drizzled golden syrup and lemon juice onto on side of crepe.  Roll up the pancake and your crepe is ready.

New short story

So yay!  I made my self imposed deadline with 3 minutes to spare.  I have updated my second blog with a new original short story Bring me a souvenir.  This short piece centers around the romance of a young woman on a working holiday in England - catch is she is the only one who doesn't realize she's in a romantic relationship.


As per usual I'm not sure I trust how it's turned out.  I never have a good opinion of my own work.  It started as an exercise in the use of first person in text.  As such I think I inadvertently allowed the story to parallel my own life in some ways.  I'm not sure whether that's a good or bad thing, but i ended up with an interesting short story out of rewriting myself so who cares.


My other short stories include

Assassin in the night
Cherished Smile

Enjoy ^_^

Noooo, there goes another year...

Anyone else get the feeling that the year has gone by too quickly? 

I Do.

I'm not ready yet.

2014 can bugger off.

My resolutions - Get a Job.  Have healthy, happy year.  I don't think that's too much to ask.

(Happy new year and goodnight!)