Brown Butter and Sage Crepes
This is a crepe for people who have made the standard version enough times that they want something to think about. Brown butter -- beurre noisette -- takes about four minutes and transforms the fat from a neutral carrier into a nutty, complex flavour base that does most of the work. Fresh sage fried briefly in the brown butter before adding to the batter gives an earthy, savoury note that works equally well as a starter or a light main. These are thin enough to show the sage leaves through the surface when held to the light. Not a Pancake Day crowd-pleaser -- a cook's recipe.
Ingredients
- 110g (4oz)plain flour, sifted
- 250ml (9fl oz)whole milk
- 50ml (2fl oz)cold water
- 2 (2)large eggs
- 60g (2oz)unsalted butter, for browning
- 12 (12)fresh sage leaves, small to medium leaves
- 1 tsp (1 tsp)sea salt flakes, for finishing
Method
- 1
Melt the butter in a light-coloured saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns golden and smells nutty -- about 4 minutes.
Use a light-coloured pan so you can see the colour change clearly. It goes from yellow to golden to brown very quickly at the end. - 2
Add the sage leaves to the brown butter and fry for 30 seconds until crisp. Remove the sage with a slotted spoon and set aside on kitchen paper. Pour the brown butter into a small bowl and allow to cool.
- 3
Whisk together flour and a pinch of salt. Add the eggs and half the milk and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining milk, water, and cooled brown butter. Whisk to combine.
The butter must be cool enough that it does not start to cook the eggs when added. - 4
Rest the batter for 30 minutes.
- 5
Heat a crepe pan or small non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Wipe with butter.
- 6
Pour a thin layer of batter, tilt to cover, and press two or three fried sage leaves into the surface before the batter sets.
The sage leaves become visible through the crepe -- press them flat with the back of a spoon. - 7
Cook for 45 seconds until the edges lift. Flip and cook for 20 seconds. Finish with a pinch of sea salt flakes.
Pro Tips
- →Watch the brown butter constantly from the moment it starts foaming. It can go from brown to burnt in under a minute.
- →Frying the sage in the brown butter before adding it to the batter deepens the flavour significantly.
- →These work as a savoury starter with a little Parmesan or as a dessert with honey and walnuts.
- →Rest the batter for the full 30 minutes -- the brown butter flavour develops more during resting.
Topping Ideas
Questions & answers
How do you make brown butter for pancakes?⌄
Can brown butter crepes be made ahead?⌄
What do you serve with brown butter and sage crepes?⌄
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