Buckwheat Pancakes SecretsHome >> Recipes
Outside of Brittany and the Latin District in Paris you may find only one or two pancake joints in any French town, but they are always full. Most offer two types of pancakes: sweet pancakes from regular flour (crêpes au froment) and savory pancakes from buckwheat flour (crêpes au sarrasin). There are two styles of Breton buckwheat pancakes - thick and thin. Restaurants make them thin on large electric heaters. This is the style in the North of Brittany. Today I'll show you how to make them like in the South of Brittany - thick, and will give you the 4 secrets that will make your buckwheat pancakes a success. First grind your buckwheat flour. You could use bought buckwheat flour, but in most shops buckwheat flour is a slow seller and is invariably stale. Grinding your own is much tastier and it takes only a 5 minutes for a pound. All you need is a flour mills. Even better, the flour is very fine and does not require any sifting to remove the bran, since the buckwheat bran is like a nutshell removed when harvesting. This is definitely the easiest and nicest-looking flour you can grind at home. I used to be a buckwheat purist and made pancakes from 100% buckwheat flour and water. No eggs, no oil, no milk, no nothing. Well, not anymore. Buckwheat has no gluten, which may be the reason you are reading this article if you are allergic to gluten. But this means the dough is rather brittle unless you add a little regular flour. I recommend you use at least 1 cup regular white flour for every two cups buckwheat flour - that's the secret #1 to a successful buckwheat crepe. Sift the flours together, then add a cup water. Add two eggs. If mixing by hand you should beat the eggs before adding them to the flours. Whisk by hand. Why? Mr Hervé This, a prominent French food scientist every bit as serious as Harold McGee and the inventor of molecular gastronomy, has tested various ways of preparing pancakes and found that hand beaten pancake dough is more elastic and tastes better. That's the secret #2. Now you may have trouble dissolving every last flour clump in the liquid with a hand whisk. If you don't succeed, briefly use a plunging mixer while nobody is looking. Tell them you whisked by hand. Now you need to let the dough rest. Mr This tested various resting time and it makes an awful lot of difference on the dough - that's our secret #3. Cover and leave in the fridge for 12 hours. If you are in a hurry leave it at the very least for 1 hour. You need to cook crepes and pancakes on a cast iron or steel pan. No non-stick nonsense. That's barely a secret but we'll call it our secret #4. Then the pan must be as flat as possible, with only the smallest and flattest sides. That's our secret #5. It sounds very obvious but I've been offered a number of so-called 'pancake pans' at Mora, a very serious professional cookware shop in Paris, all deep as bathtubs. If you want to flip your pancakes like I show below, you need a flat pan. I must have spent 15 minutes discussing pancake pans with the guy at Mora, and finally he went down the cellar to fetch this humble iron pan that cost me only €10. When I moved to the checkout counter, another attendant tried to help me finalize the order but this guy pointed at me and said "Don't speak to him - he is a curmudgeon". Everybody in the shop looked at me. The two ladies standing next to me took a full step back. Then the guy added "I'm joking, serve him first!" . I knew that my keen interest for crêpes pans had won me the shopping attendant - Parisian style! Then you need to use a little oil as possible. When you begin cooking pancakes on cast iron pans, you fear the dough will stick and you douse the pan with oil or butter. I used to do this and it took me well over a tablespoon of butter for each crepe, the butter turning brown because of the heat. Don't do like I did then - do as I tell you now. Just lightly rub a piece of bacon on the hot pan or wet a towel with heat-resistant vegetable oil gently pad the pan. There should be no visible fat on the pan, just a shine. That's our secret #6. Using a ladle, pour the buckwheat dough in one go into the hot pan and move the pan about so that the dough covers the entire surface in a regular disc. You can use a wooden paddle to help but don't scratch the bottom where the dough starts to stick to the pan - just caress the liquid surface. Now for our secret #7. Do not touch the pancake until the top has set and the pancake is almost cooked through. This is totally counterintuitive, so let me explain why. You will worry that the pancake might stick to the pan and want to slide a wooden spatula between the pancake and the pan as soon as you can. Seeing that the dough somewhat sticks to the pan, you will feel a sense of urgency and try to put your spatula all around and below the pancake, sensing that this may be the last opportunity to save your pancake - and your pan. Doing this will do precisely the opposite. The pancake is still brittle and weak as only the part closest to the pan will have set. You will tear your pancake and the parts where the pancake has stuck to the pan will stick for good. Don't do this. The way to go is to let the pancake set, so that when you finally use your spatula to move it, the crepe will have a much stronger structure that will resist to tearing both from the spatula and from the tiny bits that stuck to the pan. And now for the fun part - pancake flipping! Actually you don't really need to flip pancakes, you could do everything with one of them large flat spatulas. But you and your guests would be missing something. Just make sure the pancake is rigid enough not to fold when being flipped. Start by moving the crepe about on the pan held firmly in your strong hand. Move it to the side furthest from the handle and quickly raise that side in one sharp move. The crepe will start flying and slowly turn in the air, allowing you to catch it back. Make your your have enough clearance above the pan, these things fly high. I had this one with freshly grated Gruyère cheese and a pinch of Espelette chili. Some days I add a few strips of crispy bacon, others I top it with caramelized onions or an egg. But you could make this a dish fit for the worthiest monk by serving it with chives and a spoonful of sour cream. No doubt you'll find your favorite toppings. Please consider that this is one way of making great buckwheat pancakes and not the one you see in most restaurants. I'll post another article in the future for super thin pancakes! 335430 views Did you like this article? Leave me a comment or see my most popular articles. Copyright FXcuisine 2024 - all rights reserved. |
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76 Comments
- #1
- Comment by Thuan
"Don't speak to him - he is a curmudgeon".I liked that. A lot. Hilarious!- #2
- Comment by Farmer de Ville
Very interesting. I wouldn't normally consider having buckwheat pancakes with anything other than blueberries, maple syrup, and a little bacon on the side. But the gruyere and chilies bit intrigues me. This will have to be investigated further on my next day off...- Farmer- #3
- Comment by Jonathan Silber
You also make Bellini like this, right?- #4
- Comment by joel
I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your web page. I am a Chef in the USA who has worked for Alain Ducasse for 4 years in the past. I go to your page daily, anxiously awaiting your next entry. I find myself truly inspired after reading your recipes. As I mature as a cook I gravitate toward the rustic rather that the refined which I think you capture so well in all of your recipes. The photography is beautiful as well. Keep up the great work.- #5
- Answered by fx
In French the guy said "Non, pas Monsieur, il est désagréable". Then he waited to see the effect, and laughed and placed me in front of everybody else. I think I hooked up real good with this guy. They sell such specialized equipment they just have to respect the guy who looks at every pan and explains them politely why they don't work for the intented use.- #6
- Answered by fx
Farmer, buckwheat in France is used mostly for savories, it goes really well with bacon! Or perhaps spinach and a melted blue cheese.- #7
- Answered by fx
Jonathan, isn't the Bellini a cocktail? I don't understand the reference in the context of the buckwheat crepes - sorry.- #8
- Answered by fx
Joel, thank you so much for your appreciation! I really like Ducasse's cooking and I know he only hires the best cooks. In which restaurant did you work? What station? My articles are a very modest tributes to things of the past mostly and I couldn't create such fine dishes by myself. Let me know if there is something you'd like to see on the blog!- #9
- Comment by Lyle Gordon
I think Jonathan meant blini the small Russian buckwheat pancakes often served with caviar.- #10
- Comment by cheese_puff
Francois, how did you take the picture when you flip the pancake? It's amazing!!I think Jonathan was talking about blini. :) Alain Ducasse has the best blini ever, period. The version I had used a yeast based batter with beer and dried currants. Correct me if I am wrong, Joel~ ( I didn't get the chinese wall reference--I don't think chinese walls are taller. The Great Wall is just very very long)As always, I LOVE your food, writing and pics!!- #11
- Comment by Callipygia
I love your flour mill and also Buckwheat crepes. Having made a poor attempt at soba, I learned the hard way about no-gluten! Good tips. About being callipygian, this is not literal merely a metaphor.- #12
- Comment by Jonathan Silber
My mind is wandering. I'm sorry. I meant Blini, or blinz, those sweet, thin, east-European delights. Would you use buckwheat flour for them too? Also, let me use this opportunity to say I'm a long time reader and a big fan of both your recipes and your pictures.- #13
- Answered by fx
Ah, blini, not Bellini. No, I make blinis with live yeast and egg whites beaten stiff for a lighter texture.- #14
- Answered by fx
Cheese puff, I had to make many pictures to get these and I am still not happy. Basically the usual black velvet background and large light and a camera with high ISO, high shutter speed and spot metering. You need to put the camera on a tripod and manually set the focus. Then shoot at 6 fps. I will try again with a flash for sharper details on the pancakes.- #15
- Answered by fx
Callipygia, no gluten is definitely best let to those who are allergic to it. Hope you have better luck with the buckwheat pancakes than with the soba noodles!- #16
- Answered by fx
Jonathan, thanks for your clarification, no harm done. If you use buckwheat for the blinis add least the same weight in regular flour. I'll try to post a blini recipe and look it up in my russian cookbooks. Thanks for visiting!- #17
- Comment by leila karlslund
Yes, please post the recipe for the super thin buckwheat crepes. I have tried in vain to make them like the ones they serve in Aarhus, Denmark at the Marina. I have had them with a thin slice of ham, cheese and a dollop of strong aioli where they were folded over like an envelope, but open at one side.- #18
- Comment by chocolat
I love buckwheat flour, I'll try these pancakes.Chocolat of Cookinginrome- #19
- Answered by fx
Alessandra, sei brava di visitare il mio blog, ti auguro successo con le crepe al grano saraceno!- #20
- Comment by WC Wood
Francois, love the buckwheat pancake tips. My paternal grandparents were farmers, and my grandmother made pancakes much more often with buckwheat flour than with wheat flour. How delicious they were! It was always a breakfast item, topped with local buckwheat honey or maple syrup, and served with slab-cut bacon or sage-seasoned sausage. (Never a nonstick pan in the Grandma's farm kitchen. I'll have to find a pan like yours.) Great article!WCW- #21
- Answered by fx
WC Wood, I'm glad my article reminded you of these beloved memories of eating your grandparent's buckwheat pancakes! The maple syrup with sausage and bacon sounds like a great idea. I'll soon make the paper-thin buckwheat pancakes, watch out for them.- #22
- Comment by Betty
I have a question about the recipe: what is the flour to liquid ratio? I just made the batter and ended up using 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup water, and 2 eggs. Is this what you did? Thanks a lot!- #23
- Answered by fx
Betty, the liquid used in pancakes batter depends on the way you want to cook them. I just made a trial batch yesterday for super thin pancakes - it was a success - and used 2 cups for half a pound flour.- #24
- Comment by TZ
I can't wait for the thin crepe recipe. I made some today that turned out gummy--yuck! I need help.- #25
- Answered by fx
TZ, I'll try to shoot pictures of the thin crepes, but know that you'll need a large cast iron crepe pan, much larger than this one, and a couple tools to spread the batter and slide a paddle below the crepe. It's a very technical thing, but not overly hard if you get the proper gear.- #26
- Comment by Dave
What if I had biochemical concerns about using regular wheat flour but wanted the adhesiveness/non-brittleness that adding the white flour would provide. Could I instead add some small amount of glutin and achieve the same result? The same question applies to making bread with buckwheat flour.Thanks in advance ... just discovered your site and intend to return often.
Dave
- #27
- Answered by fx
Dave, you could consider milling your own flour, there are many very good and affordable home flour mills out there. You'd need to run it through a sieve aftewards to remove some of the bran, and it wouldn't really be all that white. I am not aware of gluten you could purchase separately, and if it did exist it would probably raise the same biochemical concerns as regular flour would.- #28
- Comment by Mary Jane
Hi I work in Australia as a chef and just wanted to tell you that i stumbled across your website by accident,I also love art so for two hours I have been in awe at your wonderful presentation of food and recipes....and you are right, it does bring heaps of happiness....its hard to explain to someone who doesnt see a brussel sprout as a "Sculpture"!!!! Colour, tone , shape, they all are important and thats even before it reaches the mouth....thank you for this 'visual feast' you have created! By the way do you photagraph other things as well? MJ- #29
- Comment by Pol
Just curious... why not a non-stick pan? Don't hate me, I just want to know how badly I need to go out and buy one. If it's HIGHLY recommended for good reason, I most certainly will get one... I remember my aunt telling me that she has ONE pan for palascintas (Hungarian pancakes) only. But I just don't understand why.Oh, yeah, and no baking soda or baking powder?
- #30
- Answered by fx
Mary Jane, thanks a lot for your comment, I am glad you have understood the way I see things! Indeed you could look at a vegetable for an hour, and if you look close enough, you'll see the entire Universe. I like to do reportage, shooting the world as it is, but since my main focus is food, I mostly end up people cooking or eating or making things related to cookery. Tomorrow I'll visit a prestigious maker of fancy pots and pans - check back soon!- #31
- Answered by fx
Pol, if you can find a non-stick pan that has a copper or aluminum or cast iron base, it may spread the heat evenly enough for your pancake to turn out OK. Otherwise you'll just burn it above the hotspots and rip it elsewhere. What you want is a very heavy pan. I suppose non-stick could be feasible, but the only serious pans I've seen personally are made of iron. More on this later!- #32
- Comment by leane
Waaauuuw! I looove your website. You are neither a chef, nor cook, you're an artist. In this age of rehashed info on the internet, your website is a+ quality. The recipes and background stories are delightful and the added photos make fxcuisine.com that much more inspiring. We are lacking more blogs and sites like yours. I've already bookmarked this. Please keep up the great work. If I were not already married, I'd make a proposal! Thanks.- #33
- Comment by Zofia
HiI like your 7 secrets (I didn't know that the dough needs resting time) and funny style, but the recipe, with all the details included, lacks the vital one - the amount of the ingredients, or the ratio of flour to eggs to water - to assure the right consistency of the dough. And how many pancakes it will make. Could you add it, please, or kindly email it to me.
Thanks
Zofia
PS. I avoid wheat, will adding spelt flour instead do any good? Or any other flour?
- #34
- Comment by katy
I just made buckwheat flour pancakes with spelt this morning (before I found this site) - and that they were "OK" - but now that I know the "secrets" - esp. resting the dough I know they'll turn out much better. I'm amazed that no leavening or fat was required, the more simplicity the better, esp. regarding emergency preparedness - eating what you have on hand.thanks for this wonderful site.- #35
- Answered by fx
Katy thanks for your visit and good luck with your next batch of buckwheat pancakes!- #36
- Answered by fx
Zofia you need to use two eggs for the quantities indicated, you can see them in the picture in fact. The yield will depend on how big you make the pancakes, I'm sorry but I don't remember exactly how many it resulted for me. Spelt is not so cool as you need a lot of gluten to compensate for the lack thereof in the buckwheat flour.- #37
- Comment by leila karlslund
Dear Francois,When are you going to publish the recipe for paperthin buckwheat crepes, you once promised?
It's been a long time since we were in contact - hope you are well. I am. Leila
- #38
- Answered by fx
Leila, thanks for visiting back! I plan to do it for la Chandeleur, february 2nd 2009. Sorry for the long wait, but all you need really is to get one of them crepe pans from Le Creuset with the wooden scraper and the big flat paddle. Then make a very liquid dough and spread it quickly in one sharp movement. They really get thin that way!- #39
- Comment by Clémence
I was thrilled to discover a whole buckwheat category on this website, which is growing into a favourite: many thanks.As a Breton person and buckwheat maniac I feel compelled to contribute my favourite filling for a buckwheat 'galette', which is rhubarb jam. The two flavours complement each other to perfection. Don't be tempted to make it frilly by adding chantilly or creamy stuff, though.
And I thought it was in the West of Brittany that pancakes were thin, as opposed to the East. I'm from the north coast and our local pancakes are definitely thick in comparison to those you eat in, say, Finistere.
- #41
- Comment by Lumpy Dough
Using 3 cups flour (2 buckwheat + 1 wheat) and 1 cup of water + 2 eggs I get a solid clum of a dough, not even a paste.Maybe the ratio of mixing flours is 2/1 but this recipe does not work with 3 cups flour 1 cup water 2 egss no no no no it doesn't, unless cooking at the bottom of a lake.
- #43
- Comment by Lumpy Dough
Ah, it worked for me with 3 cups flour + 3 cups water + 2 eggs. They were thick & hearty & dense and the buckwheat so fragrant. Maybe next time I'll try more eggs (or just less flour) for a lighter body.Thank you for the awesome tip of letting them cook through before flipping, and your precise explanation as to why: that had always been my Achiles heel when making any kind of pancakes--but no more!
- #45
- Comment by jill
hey thanks for your super articlegreat tips
and bacon ideas!
need to go buy some right now.
and the gruyere
perfect
think that will be y breakfast today
cant wait to read more of your recipes.
- #46
- Comment by shilla
wish I had these buckwheat recipes years ago. For a decade I have eaten pancakes with only buckwheat flour and water, they were very thick. A few months ago made them with buckwheat flour, two to three eggs and four to five tbs of olive oil and water. Sorry, but I bought a non stick crepe pan. I now am able to make very thin buckwheat crepes. I am looking forward to trying your buckwheat pasta, however I can not afford to use any wheat flour so will no doubt need to improvise. Would love more recipes with buckwheat and other non gluten grains. would also like recipes with none of the nightshade family and no lactose and no sugar. Cook books never allow for people who have all these food sensativitys.- #48
- Comment by Ivan
Interesante, yo cotización en mi sitio más tarde.Ivan
- #49
- Comment by Brystal
I didn't have time to read all the comments, so I'm not sure if anyone has asked this, but where did you get your grain mill? I love it and would like to find one just like it. Thanks!- #50
- Comment by Terrence Boring
I enjoyed this article very much, the only one so far that tells very much. What about toasted buckwheat?? Mine never turn out crispy, don't especially taste of buckwheat either. You might try, in a future article, to describe the texture, etc of your crepes. Great photos.- #52
- Comment by mopinwil
Loved the site and reminds me of a visit I made to Brittany and came across a hay-making festival in which there was a stall selling thin buckwheat crepes wrapped around large sausages and you could help yourself to various relises. Real peasant food and I saw the stall holder making this thin lacy crepes. Magical!Thank you for the recipe. I am gluten intolerant and have trouble finding suitable recipes. The shop sold varieties of gluten free never seem to taste right sadly.
- #54
- Comment by Pam
I have just started gluten free cooking and my first attempt at buckwheat pancakes was dismal, so thanks for all the tips - I shall try again, starting with the pan.- #56
- Comment by Hayley-jay
I have been making these buckwheat pancakes, with various sweet or savory fillings for the last six months, and they are gorgeous. Both myself and a good friend cannot eat wheat so these are perfect, plus I live in the South west of France and have a local organic supplier of freshly ground buckwheat flour. How lucky am I! Thank you all so much for the tips and advice. Hayley- #57
- Comment by Sheena
My friend who is gluten intolerant just bought a gluten free buckwheat and tapioca flour pancake mix. They were wonderful. Perfect texture. You don't need glutenous flour to make great pancakes!!- #59
- Comment by patricia Amodeo
Wonderful presentation and humour...I'll try them tonight for a very RELAXED New Year's EVe dinner...will let you know,Till then have a wonderful New Year...Patzi
- #60
- Comment by Claude Parent
I enjoyed your article immensely, and looked all over for your "thin" recipe. When I was growing up, every Sunday morning dad would make thin buckwheat cakes for us (5 kids), he would cook and flip and we would eat (roll ups), thin pancakes stuffed and rolled with anything we had eg. fruits, jams, cooked chicken, ham, (my favorite roast pork) and virtually any left-overs in the fridge. My dad has since passed on, and I can find no mention of this type of pancake anywhere, I have tried myself and can't seem to get the right texture. I mussed have watched him make thousands of these, and (didn't pay attention). After reading your blog, it's given me a few more ideas. Did I mention that he used to rub the griddle with a piece of pork fat before each pancake? Thank you again for the wonderful blog.Claude
- #61
- Comment by nameEmma
I really appreciate your buckwheat pancake recipe, I can sense your skill and 'good taste' thanks!- #62
- Comment by Nichol
Great! The most important things are, indeed, letting the dough stand a bit, and being patient while the pancake cooks till its whole top is dry, and the edges start to curl up, without any help from any fidgeting cook.Pure buckweat works fine for me, though I always add egg and some oil, and just water, never milk, as I think it makes the pancakes stick more.
Pure buckweat flower makes for an interestingly gluey texture, and if you just stir in the egg with some of the water, slowly incorporating all the flour, after which all the flour clumps will be pulled apart easily while stirring. Here the trick is start it out rather more thick, and only dilute it to the right consistency after the clumps are out.
- #63
- Comment by SueSea
What kind of grinder is this?- #64
- Comment by Pearl A. Solomon
Will be making these pancakes tomarrow for brunch!Can you give me a recipe for 5 people?I will be using buckwheat flour(from the mill)and reg. white flour!
- #66
- Comment by Lana
FanTAStic! With your tips, I've just cooked my first ever perfect pancakes! If we'd not got a mill for christmas, I'd never have found out how to cook them right. I didn't read all of the comments, apologies if this is covered already, but I used 1 cup buckwheat and 1/2 cup wheat (150g and 75g respectively before grinding) and added 1 cup water and 2 eggs. I had interpreted your recipe to mean 1 cup water and 2 eggs per *3* cups combined flours - that ended up being very doughy in consistency and obviously not right! Thank you for an awesome recipe, and beautiful, clear, easy to follow photo instructions! I'm having fun browsing your blog :)- #67
- Comment by Dickie Thomas
Do your pancakes resemble clay pigeons? Do your pancakes disappear from the breakfast table only to appear on your kid's go cart. Dickie Thomas reveals a simple trick to making fluffy pancakes that will leave your family begging for more.- #69
- Comment by Steve
There is a cup of liquid missing from this recipe, whether it be water or milk. There is no way the mixture as described will whisk.- #71
- Comment by Gwendoline
I am embarking on a special food regime to help reduce the fat around my middle and one of the things is to try buckwheat pancakes but didnt give me a recipe im not to use dairy milk I bought almond milk but not sure now how to make these pancakes Im to use organic eggs please please can you help me I am 70years old and want to lose the fat round my middle as I want to live a lot longer (my Mother lived till she was 91 and a half)so with a lot of help I can also live till 91plus. thanking you very much kind regards Mrs Gwendoline Rapp (A war widow pensioner)- #73
- Comment by Mel
What brand of flour mill is featured?- #75
- Comment by leapdoggydog
Interesting! I've never tried, or seen these thicker buckwheat pancakes.I make thin galettes regularly. The traditional recipe is: 250g farine Sarrasin,(which is grown, and milled by an organic farmer friend, north of Nantes), 2 eggs, a little salt, 500 ml cold water, 40g melted butter.
I make the batter first thing in the morning so that it rests all day and is ready to be used in the evening.
I have a professional electrically heated Crepiere (made by Krampouz), and a T shaped stick called a Rateau, for spreading the batter into a nice circle. I made the Rateau myself.
Bretonne galettes, are cooked on big flat round crepieres. You just ladle the batter in the middle and quickly spread it out thin as poss, in a nice round shape.
If you are making the legendary Galette Bretonne, you let the galette cook for a moment or three, and then cover with small slices of good smoked ham, then a raw egg (spread the white out over the ham and galette), then plenty of good freshly grated Comte cheese from the Jura mountains. I like to splash a little cream around while the egg cooks and the cheese melts. As soon as the galette starts to get crispy on the bottom, I fold the edges over which makes it square and shows the eggs, ham, cheese and cream in the middle.
The other version is with ham, bechamel and Paris mushrooms. You can make it with all sorts of fillings, such as Roquefort, or with sausage, or minced meat, etc etc. Ham and ratatouille with an egg rocks too.
For dessert, she "who must be disobeyed" spreads jam on her Sarrasin galettes as well, but she's a Froglette, so we shouldn't be too surprised really. She also cooks crepes on the Krampouz, Shock! Horror!. It works fine, very thin etc etc, but Les Messers Escoffier et Savarin would be spinning like tops in their graves at the very idea of it. I appease these culinary Gods by making my super thin crepes in my trusty old cast iron crepe pan, which belonged to my Father. This pan is actually older than me, and it makes the most wonderful omlettes too. Happy Days
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