Almond Meal Crepes Are Gluten-Free and Kinda Fancy
How many crepes have you eaten in your lifetime? Me, I’d say it’s about 362, the vast majority of which have been smothered in Nutella. Sometimes, now, when I order or make a crepe I just want something more. Something special and new. That could come from toppings, sure. But I also like to look within the batter itself. That’s what led me to almond meal. Crumbly almond meal (that’s cooking speak for very finely ground raw almonds, also often labeled almond flour in packaging) mixed with eggs and vanilla makes a tender, fluffy pile of crepes that would be at home in any French cafe. Plus, they’re Paleo too, if you’re into stuff like that.
Pour ½ cup finely ground almond meal, 4 eggs, ¼ cup cashew (or your favorite) non-dairy milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (omit the sweetener if you want to serve crepes with savory toppings), and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt in a blender until smooth. Set the batter aside for 15 minutes to rest.
When you’re ready to fry, heat a crepe pan (or any wide nonstick skillet over medium heat) and grease it with a pat of butter or coconut oil.
When the pan is hot, give the batter a little mix. If it seems very thick, add an extra 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk. Pour ¼ cup of batter onto the hot pan and smooth it out until the crepe is wide and thin.
Fry the crepe for about 2 minutes, or until it looks golden brown underneath, then flip the crepe with a spatula. Cook the second side for another 2 minutes, then slide the crepe out onto a plate.
Repeat this process with remaining crepe batter.
Serve crepes sweet, with nut butter, sliced fruit, lemon juice and powdered sugar, Nutella, jam, or anything else that suits your fancy. For savory crepes, top the pancakes with lightly dressed salad greens or sliced vegetables tossed with lemon juice, or sliced turkey, ham, and grated Gruyere cheese.
