Thin Pancakes

Name: Thin Pancakes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: France / Scandinavia
Ingredients: 150 g (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour; 2 g (⅓ tsp) fine sea salt; 1 tbsp sugar, optional, for sweet pancakes; 3 large eggs; 450 ml (1¾ cups + 2 tbsp) whole milk; 40 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan; sugar and lemon, jam, or Nutella; whipped cream and berries, optional

Crêpes, Norwegian pannekaker, and how to roll them

Makes: about 12 pancakes, 24 cm
Hands-on: 30 min
Total: 1 h
Level: Easy

Thin, lacy pancakes are the same basic batter across much of Europe, whether called crêpes in France or pannekaker in Norway. Resting the batter and getting the pan heat right are what make them tender, thin and evenly golden.

Ingredients

150 gall-purpose flour (1¼ cups)
2 gfine sea salt (⅓ tsp)
1 tbspsugaroptional, for sweet pancakes
3large eggs
450 mlwhole milk (1¾ cups + 2 tbsp)
40 gunsalted butter (3 tbsp)melted, plus more for the pan

To serve

sugar and lemon, jam, or Nutella
whipped cream and berriesoptional

Diet: Vegetarian
Allergens: gluten, egg, milk, tree nuts, soy
Origin: France / Scandinavia

Method

Whisk the flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. Make a well, add the eggs and about a third of the milk, and whisk to a smooth, thick batter.
Gradually whisk in the rest of the milk, then the melted butter. The batter should be as thin as light cream.
Cover and rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 24 hours in the fridge. 30 min
Heat a 24 cm nonstick or crêpe pan over medium-high heat. Brush lightly with butter.
Stir the batter. Lift the pan off the heat, pour in about 50 ml (3½ tbsp) of batter, and immediately tilt and swirl the pan to coat the base in a thin layer.
Cook until the edges are lacy and lift away from the pan and the underside is golden in spots, about 1 minute. Flip with a spatula or your fingers and cook 30 seconds more. 2 min
Stack the pancakes on a warm plate. Brush the pan with butter every two or three pancakes.
Serve rolled up or folded into quarters with sugar and lemon, or jam and cream.

Why it works

Resting allows the flour's starch to fully absorb the liquid and the gluten formed during whisking to relax, so the pancakes are tender and the batter coats the pan thinly without tearing. Butter in the batter keeps the pancakes supple and helps prevent sticking. A hot pan and a quick swirl set a thin layer before it can pool thickly.

Common mistakes

Skipping the rest: rubbery pancakes that tear.
Too much batter: thick, heavy pancakes. Pour, swirl and tip any excess back into the bowl.
The first pancake failing: it always does. It seasons the pan.

Variations

Savory buckwheat galettes: Use half buckwheat flour and no sugar; fill with ham, Gruyère and a fried egg.
Norwegian style: Serve with blueberry or strawberry jam and sugar, or with bacon and lingonberries.

Make ahead and storage

Batter keeps 24 hours in the fridge. Cooked pancakes keep 2 days chilled, stacked with baking paper, and freeze for 2 months.

Notes

Tree nuts and soy only if you serve them with Nutella.