Pannequets with Jam

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •20 cm (8-inch) nonstick crêpe pan or skillet
• •Thin flexible spatula
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Rimmed metal baking sheet
• •Sharp small knife
• •Oval serving platter and clean folded napkin

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix and rest batter

   Whisk the flour and salt together, make a well, and add the eggs with half the milk. Whisk from the centre outward until you have a smooth, thick batter, then gradually whisk in the remaining milk. Cover and rest for 30 minutes so the flour hydrates and the crêpes cook tender rather than rubbery. Stir in the melted butter. The finished batter should run like light cream; if it coats the spoon heavily, add the cool water a teaspoon at a time. If you find lumps, strain the batter and continue.

2. 2

   Cook paper-thin crêpes

   Heat a 20 cm (8-inch) nonstick skillet over medium heat. Wipe it with the thinnest film of softened butter, then pour in about 2½ tablespoons (38 ml) batter and turn the pan immediately so it runs into a nearly transparent layer. Cook for 35 to 45 seconds, until the surface loses its wet shine and the fine edge lifts, then turn and cook the second side for about 10 seconds. Stack the crêpes on a plate and make eight in all. If the first tears, let the pan heat a little longer and give the next crêpe another few seconds before turning; the first one is tuition, not a verdict.

   These crêpes should remain supple and lightly mottled, not deeply browned. They will take their final colour beneath the broiler.
3. 3

   Ready the fierce heat

   Set an oven rack about 15 cm (6 inches) below the broiler and heat the broiler on high for five minutes. Cover a rimmed metal baking sheet with foil and wipe it with a barely visible film of softened butter. This concentrated top heat is the home equivalent of the fierce oven the original method kept ready.

4. 4

   Fill and cut lozenges

   Let the crêpes cool completely, since warmth loosens jam. Place one with its better-mottled side down and spread the upper surface with 2 teaspoons (10 ml / about 14 g) jam, leaving a 1.5 cm (½-inch) border. The coating should be thin enough to see the crêpe beneath it. Roll into a snug cylinder and set it seam-side down. If jam bulges from the edge, unroll, scrape away the excess, and roll again. With a sharp knife, trim both ends on the same 45-degree bias, then cut the roll at its midpoint on a matching parallel bias. Repeat to make 16 lozenges and arrange them seam-side down on the prepared tray.

5. 5

   Sugar and glaze

   Sift the icing sugar evenly over the pannequets, covering the tops with a fine white veil rather than burying them. Slide the tray beneath the broiler and watch without turning away. In 30 to 90 seconds the sugar will look damp, then melt into a glassy sheen with tiny amber freckles. Rotate the tray if one side colours first. If jam begins running from the cut ends, pull the tray immediately. Ça se rattrape: lift each pannequet free with a thin spatula and spoon any escaped drop back onto its cut face. Do not wait for an even brown crust, because icing sugar passes from glazed to bitter very quickly.

6. 6

   Dish them warm

   Let the pannequets stand for 30 seconds, then lift them from the tray while the sugar is still slightly supple. Arrange them on a clean folded napkin set over a warm oval platter, keeping their glazed sides uppermost and the angled cuts visible. Serve four lozenges per person at once, while the thin sugar finish is crisp and the jam is glossy. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose a smooth, well-set jam. Large pieces of fruit tear the crêpes, while a loose preserve escapes under the broiler; if the jam is very stiff, stir it until spreadable but do not warm it.
• •Butter the skillet with a wiped film, not a puddle. The butter already in the batter supplies tenderness, and too much in the pan fries the crêpe into brittle, greasy edges.
• •The broiler is the only hurried moment. Have the platter, napkin, and spatula ready before the tray goes beneath it, because the proper glaze appears in seconds and waits for nobody.
• •Pannequets are best the moment they are glazed. With coffee they make a generous breakfast; after supper, serve them alone and let the warm jam do the talking.

Advance Preparation

• •The batter can be mixed up to 24 hours ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Let it lose its chill, whisk it gently, and loosen it with a teaspoon of water if it has thickened.
• •The crêpes can be cooked one day ahead, stacked, covered, and chilled. Bring them to room temperature before filling so they roll without cracking.
• •The pannequets may be filled, rolled, and cut up to two hours ahead, then covered and chilled. Sugar and glaze them only at serving time, since the sugar crust softens as it stands.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 140g)