Souffleed Crepes
Light, puffy souffleed crepes made with beaten egg whites folded into a classic crepe batter. Cook in a crepe pan or bake as a flat souffle, then fill with fruit, brandy, or vanilla.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
30 minREADY
40 minThese crepes split the difference between a traditional crepe and a souffle. Standard crepe batter gets a lift from stiffly beaten egg whites folded in just before cooking, creating something thinner than a souffle but far puffier and more delicate than a regular crepe.
The technique is simple: beat yolks with milk, flour, sugar, and salt into a smooth batter, add melted butter, then fold in stiff egg whites right before cooking. That folding step is everything. Gentle strokes keep the air intact, which is what makes each crepe rise and puff in the pan.
You get two cooking options here. Pan-cook them individually like traditional crepes for thin, airy rounds, or pour the batter into a buttered baking dish and bake it at 375°F (190°C) for 25 to 30 minutes for a flat souffle that can be topped or filled. Either way, serve immediately while they’re still puffed.
Kitchen Tips
- Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, but don’t overbeat. Dry, grainy whites won’t fold smoothly into the batter.
- Fold in the whites with a rubber spatula using gentle, sweeping motions. A few white streaks are fine. Overmixing deflates the batter.
- If pan-cooking, use a hot, buttered crepe pan and pour a thin layer. These cook fast and set quickly because of the egg whites.
- Serve immediately. Like any souffle, these deflate as they cool. The puff is temporary and that’s part of the charm.
Variations
- Strawberry souffleed crepes: Fill with sliced strawberries and a dusting of powdered sugar for a classic French dessert.
- Lemon brandy crepes: Add lemon zest and a splash of brandy to the batter before folding in the whites for an elegant, aromatic version.
Ingredients
Directions
Beat the egg yolks with part of the milk, add flour, sugar, salt, beat well.
Add remaining milk gradually, then melted butter.
Beat egg whites stiff.
Fold into crepe mixture.
They either may be cooked in the usual way in a crepe pan or put into a large buttered pan and baked in a preheated 375 degree F oven for about 25 to 30 minutes.
This then becomes something like a flat souffle that can be topped with a filling or one can be put over half the batter, the rest poured on top.
It can be a sweet filling like strawberries or apples and may be flavored with lemon rind, brandy, or vanilla.
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