Top Tips To Make Perfect Homemade Crepes

STUDIO CITY (CBS) — Esequiel Aguirre, Mimi's Café's culinary leader, stopped by KCAL9 Thursday in honor of Bastille Day, a French National Holiday celebrating the French Revolution.

He put his skills to the test, showing us how to make the perfect crepe!

Tips to Create Perfect Homemade Crepes:

• Strain the Batter – Once the batter is mixed, strain it through a fine sieve to ensure there are no lumps in your batter.

• Let the Batter Rest – If you make the batter the night before it will taste better. The resting allows the gluten in the flour to develop and bond to the milk and eggs for a more complex flavor.

• Heat the Milk – Warming the milk slightly along with the butter before adding eggs and flour ensures a delicious batter. The warm milk/butter combination allows the butter to even distribute in the crepes, and the crepes won't stick to the pan when you flip.

• Don't flip too early – wait until the surface of the crepe is no longer shiny and the edges are slightly browning before you try and flip the crepe. If you flip it too early, it will tear.

Recipe: Chicken Madeira Crepes
Serves 4

Crêpe Filling Ingredients:

7 Tbsp Butter
4 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
1 ¼ cups Whole Milk
1 ¼ cups Chicken Broth
2 Tbsp Shallots, Chopped
1 cup Artichoke Hearts, Chopped
2 cups Mushrooms, Sliced
2 cups Roasted Chicken Breast Meat, Roughly Chopped
8 oz Swiss Cheese, Shredded
4 Tbsp Madeira Wine

Crêpe Ingredients:

¾ cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1 ¼ cups Whole Milk
1 Egg
1 Egg Yolk
1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, Melted

*Make crepes first and set aside while making filling.

Crêpe Instructions:

Sift together flour, salt, and pepper to taste into a bowl. Whisk together milk, whole egg, and yolk in a small bowl, then gradually whisk into flour mixture. Force batter through a fine sieve into a bowl.

Heat a dry 7‐ to 8‐inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot, then brush very lightly with some melted butter. Spoon about 2 tablespoons batter into skillet, tilting to coat bottom. (If batter sets before skillet is coated, reduce heat slightly for next crêpe.)

Cook until underside is lightly browned, 6 to 10 seconds, then loosen crêpe with a spatula and flip. Cook until just cooked through, about 20 seconds, and transfer to a plate.

Make more crêpes as needed in same manner, brushing skillet with melted butter as needed and stacking crêpes on plate.

Filling Instructions:

Heat butter in a 2‐quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until foam subsides. Whisk in flour and cook roux, whisking, until pale golden, about 2 minutes.

Gradually add milk and broth, whisking, until mixture reaches a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently, whisk in Swiss cheese and continue whisking until sauce is silky and thick.

Cook shallots in remaining tablespoon butter in a 10‐inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes, add artichokes. Remove 1 cup of sauce and keep warm.

In remaining sauce stir in chicken and Madeira.

Assembly Instructions:

Lay out eight crepes and divide sauce with chicken and artichokes evenly placing in line down center of each crepe.

Roll crepe tightly and place two on each plate.

Top with reserved sauce and serve immediately.

To learn more about Mimi's Café, click here.