Crêpes — from Brittany, made from wheat flour — and galettes — from the same tradition, made from buckwheat (blé noir) — are the two French thin pancake traditions. The technique principle is shared: a thin batter allowed to rest before cooking, the pan barely greased, the crêpe cooked at medium-high heat for 60–90 seconds per side.
- **The rest:** The batter must rest 30–60 minutes after mixing — the gluten relaxes, producing a more even, thinner, less elastic crêpe. Batter used immediately produces thick, rubbery crêpes that shrink after being poured. - **The pan temperature:** Medium-high — the batter should sizzle and set immediately when poured. Insufficient heat produces slow-cooking crêpes that stick. - **The pour:** A thin, even pour while tilting the pan — the batter must flow to the edges before it sets. The total volume: enough to coat the pan's base in a single thin layer when tilted. - **The flip signal:** The edges of the crêpe dry and turn very slightly golden; the surface has no liquid batter visible; the crêpe slides freely when the pan is shaken.
France: The Cookbook