Recipe
Thin Sweet Crepes with Nutella
Nutella crepes recipe for thin, soft sweet crepes in a non-stick pan or on a tawa. Covers batter rest time, swirling, flipping and the best fillings.
Sweet crepes are very thin French pancakes made from a runny batter of maida, eggs, milk and butter, cooked in a hot pan for about a minute a side. Spread with Nutella while warm and folded into triangles, they are one of the simplest cafe desserts to make at home.
Three things decide whether they turn out soft and thin or thick and torn: resting the batter for 30 minutes, swirling it quickly across the pan, and waiting until the edges lift before you flip. This recipe walks you through each one, and the total time includes that 30-minute rest.
If you can make neer dosa, you already know the basic move: a thin batter poured onto a hot pan and spread out before it sets. That makes crepes an easy win in any Mangalore kitchen.
Thin Sweet Crepes with Nutella
You'll need
Non-stick frying pan (22 to 24 cm) or flat non-stick tawa · Mixing bowl and whisk, or a mixie · 1/4 cup measure or small ladle · Thin flat spatula · Kitchen paper, for greasing
Ingredients
For the crepe batter
For the filling
Method
- Make a smooth batter. Whisk the maida, sugar and salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the eggs and about half the milk, and whisk from the centre outwards into a smooth, thick batter with no lumps. Whisk in the rest of the milk, then the melted butter and vanilla. (Or blend everything in a mixie for 10 to 15 seconds.) It should coat the back of a spoon thinly, a little thicker than neer dosa batter.
- Rest the batter. Cover and leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes. This lets the flour soak up the liquid and the air bubbles settle, so the crepes are tender and do not tear. You can also refrigerate it overnight; stir well before using.
- Heat the pan. Heat a 22 to 24 cm non-stick pan on medium for 1 to 2 minutes. Rub a little butter over the base with a piece of kitchen paper. The pan is ready when a drop of batter sizzles and sets within a few seconds.
- Pour and swirl. Stir the batter. Lift the pan off the heat, pour a scant 1/4 cup (about 50 ml) of batter into the centre, and immediately tilt and swirl the pan in a circle so the batter runs to the edges in a thin, even layer. Fill any small holes with a drop of batter and put the pan back on the heat. On a flat tawa, pour the batter in the centre and spread it outwards quickly with the back of the ladle, as for a thin dosa.
- Cook the first side. Cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until the top looks dry and matt with no wet shine, and the edges turn light golden and start lifting away from the pan.
- Flip. Run a thin spatula around the edge, slide it underneath and flip the crepe in one quick movement. Cook the second side for 20 to 30 seconds, until it has light golden spots.
- Stack and repeat. Slide the crepe onto a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep it soft and warm. Repeat with the rest of the batter, stirring it each time and greasing the pan lightly every 2 or 3 crepes. The first crepe is often a tester, so adjust the heat after it.
- Fill with Nutella. Spread 1 heaped tablespoon (about 20 g) of Nutella over a warm crepe, leaving a small border. Add a few banana slices if you like, then fold it in half and in half again to make a triangle, or roll it up.
- Serve. Dust with powdered sugar, scatter the chopped nuts on top and serve while warm.
Tips for getting it right
- Do not skip the rest. Unrested batter gives crepes that are rubbery and tear easily when you flip them.
- Get the heat right. If the batter sets before you can swirl it, the pan is too hot; if the crepe stays pale and sticks after a minute, it is too cool. Medium is usually right.
- Grease very lightly. Too much butter makes the batter skid and fry into a greasy crepe; a thin film wiped on with kitchen paper is enough.
- If your crepes come out thick, thin the batter with 1 to 2 tablespoons milk. If they tear, give the first side a few more seconds before flipping.
- Keep cooked crepes covered with a towel. In the open air they dry out and turn stiff quickly.
Variations
- Banana and Nutella: add thin banana slices before folding.
- Lotus Biscoff: spread with Biscoff spread instead of Nutella and sprinkle with crushed Biscoff biscuits.
- Strawberry and Nutella: add sliced fresh strawberries and a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Peanut butter and Nutella: spread a thin layer of each for a sweet and slightly salty crepe.
Storing and reheating
Unfilled crepes keep well. Stack them with a piece of butter paper between each, wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Warm them in a dry pan on low for 15 to 20 seconds a side before filling. The batter keeps in a covered container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Filled crepes are best eaten straight away.
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