Recipe - Dessert (Chickpea) Crepes

My official introduction to crepes was as authentic as they come - street food in Paris, while on a high school trip.  Incidentally, this was also my first introduction to Nutella (a chocolate hazelnut spread) - which solidified my love of this classic french dish.  Crepes are a fantastic foil for a wide variety of seasonal produce - and are now a staple of our household.  Although traditional crepe recipes call for flour, eggs, and butter, this recipe is much simpler, allergen-free, and produces stunning taste and textural results.  Links to filler ideas can be found at the bottom of this page.

Dessert (Chickpea) Crepes shown with Strawberries and Powdered Sugar

 INGREDIENTS:

1/4 c. Sugar
1 c. Water
1 c. Garbonzo Bean Flour*
1/2 Tsp. Salt
Melted Butter (or butter substitute)

Makes 10 - 6" Crepes

INSTRUCTIONS:

(1) Combine all ingredients in a bowl or blender.  Mix until thoroughly incorporated.

(2) Heat crepe pan (or a non-stick pan) over medium to medium/low heat.

(3) Once the pan is hot, brush melted butter (or butter substitute) into the pan and pour a thin coat of the batter into the pan, swirling the pan around until the batter is spread evenly on the bottom.

(4) Once the crepe has cooked enough to solidify (the top will loose its sheen) flip and allow to briefly cook on the other side.

(5) Remove from the pan and adorn with your favorite condiment.  Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all crepes have been made.

* Garbonzo Bean Flour (aka Gram Flour, Chickpea Flour, Besan) is a staple of many Asian cuisines and has come into popularity in the US in recent years due to the uptick in gluten-free cuisine.  Although I have found Garbonzo Beans that were produced in California and Arizona (though not in flour form), we currently buy Organic Gram Flour that is produced in India - as such this is one of our splurges on the non-local scene.  As soon as I find a good local/semi-local source, we'll make the switch.

Meyer Lemon Filling (click here for the recipe)