Crepes are not especially difficult to make, but they can be fussy and time-consuming. Like many other foods that fit the same description, they are best made in a large batch, on a day when you have time, and then frozen for later use. Buying premade crepes from your local market can save even more time. In either case, you'll need to thaw, separate and heat your crepes before using them.
Thaw the crepes overnight in your refrigerator if possible. Otherwise, use your microwave's defrost cycle to carefully thaw the number of crepes you'll need. Once they are partially thawed, you can separate them for individual heating.
Preheat your oven to its lowest setting. Set a plate on the rack, lined with wax paper.
Microwave a thawed or refrigerated crepe for 20 seconds on high. Turn it over and microwave for a further 10 seconds. The crepe should be hot to the touch. If not, continue in 10-second intervals until it is.
Transfer the warmed crepe to your waiting plate in the warming oven. Microwave a second crepe, increasing the time if necessary.
Repeat until all the crepes have been warmed. Fill and serve them according to your favorite recipe.
Tip
The crepes can also be warmed entirely in your oven. Set the oven to its lowest temperature as directed above. Layer the cold crepes with wax paper between them, then wrap the entire stack in wax paper. Wrap the whole bundle with foil, and leave it in the oven at the lowest setting for one to one and a half hours until warmed through.
Many recipes bake the crepes, fry them, or cook them in a sauce of some description. It's not necessary to warm the crepes for those.
References
- "On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals"; Sarah R. Labensky et al.; 2003
- "The Professional Pastry Chef"; Bo Friberg; 2002
- Fine Cooking; Apple-Filled Crepes with Caramel Sauce; Charles Pierce; January 2000
- The Bonne Femme Cookbook; How To Freeze Crêpes (and Why You Should); Wini Moranville; February 2011
- Food Network; Crepes; Alton Brown
Writer Bio
Fred Decker is a trained chef, former restaurateur and prolific freelance writer, with a special interest in all things related to food and nutrition. His work has appeared online on major sites including Livestrong.com, WorkingMother.com and the websites of the Houston Chronicle and San Francisco Chronicle; and offline in Canada's Foodservice & Hospitality magazine and his local daily newspaper. He was educated at Memorial University of Newfoundland and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.