One of my favorite desserts to enjoy are sweet French crepes. French crepes are a very simple and easy recipe to make. What I love about crepes is its simplicity and creativity. From sweet crepes with banana and Nutella to caramelized apples with salted caramel and mascarpone whipped cream – you can let your imagination flow with countless fillings!
Crepes are essentially very thin pancakes. They originated during the 13th century in Brittany, a northwest region in France. Today, you can find crepes throughout France (and the world) because they are simply delicious! I have seen sweet crepes used as a crisp ice cream cone, folded into triangles, made into a cake, stacked like American pancakes, and more.
We enjoyed our sweet crepes at a restaurant in Bayeux, France, called Le Moulin de la Galette. They served both traditional buckwheat crepes and sweet crepes. The menu is full of savory and sweet crepes. So my sweet crepes with banana and Nutella are heavily inspired by our dining experience at this restaurant. In fact, it was on the menu!
I think bananas and Nutella are a perfect match made in heaven which is why I chose to use it as my filling for sweet crepes. Nutella is just the name of the most popular brand for the famous Italian chocolate and hazelnut spread. The rich and nutty chocolate-hazelnut spread balances beautifully with the sweet and fresh slices of bananas. Moreover, I like how the bananas add a little healthiness to this simple and delicious dessert.
The Difference Between Sweet Crepes and Buckwheat Crepes
Buckwheat crepes are also commonly referred to as galettes, especially in Brittany, France. Sweet crepes are made with wheat flour, whereas buckwheat crepes are made with buckwheat flour. Moreover, buckwheat flour is gluten free – it is not made of wheat but actually grain. Though both crepes can be used simultaneously for savory and sweet dishes, buckwheat is used for savory crepes while sweet crepes are used for desserts.
Making the Sweet Crepes with Banana and Nutella
Making the sweet crepe batter is very similar to creating a pancake batter. It is a very easy method of mixing all the ingredients (in a specific order) together. You can use my crepe recipe and get creative with your own filling or use my perfect combination of sweet crepes with banana and Nutella. Moreover, if you are feeling very ambitious, you can make your own Nutella!
The only difficult part of this recipe is spreading the thin layer of batter evenly on the crepe pan. So, practice will make it perfect! However, do not fret if the crepes do not come out as a perfect circle because you will fold them into triangles and no one will know!
Sweet French Crepes with Banana and Nutella
Ingredients
For the Crepes
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup of whole milk
- 1/2 cup of water
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 180 g
- 3 tablespoons of butter 42 g
For the Filling
- 4 bananas sliced thinly
- 14 tablespoons of Nutella 2 tbsp per crepe plus extra for drizzle
- Powdered sugar for decoration
Special Equipment Needed
- Crepe pan with a wooden spatula and spreader
- Plastic pastry bag
- Sifter
Equipment
Instructions
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, water, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Sift the flour over the batter and whisk continuously. You are trying to prevent large clumps of flour – you want a smooth batter.
- Melt the butter and slowly whisk into the batter.
- Place plastic wrap on the batter so that it touches. This will prevent the batter from forming a skin and creating clumps in your batter. Let the batter rest in the fridge for at least one hour.
- Prepare your crepe station with vegetable oil spray, 8 pieces of parchment paper, 1/4 cup measuring spoon, a crepe pan, wooden spatula and spreader. Then turn your heat on medium.
- When you are ready to make the crepes, remove the batter from the fridge and wring out any batter left from the plastic wrap. Whisk the batter to "refresh it".
- Spray the crepe pan with vegetable oil, then ladle 1/4 cup of the batter and pour in the middle of the pan. Quickly use your wooden spreader and rotate it clockwise to create a smooth circle covering the entire pan.
- Let the crepe cook on the pan for 1-2 minutes then flip it over using the spatula. Cook for a remaining 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove the crepe from the pan and place on a plate. Repeat this process 6 more times or until you run out of batter. Tip: make sure you place a piece of parchment in between each crepe as you cook them to prevent them from getting too soggy. If you stack the crepes on top of each other, they can get soggy.
- To assemble your sweet crepes with banana and Nutella filling: spread 2 tablespoons or less of Nutella on the entire crepe. Then add thinly sliced bananas on one side of the crepe. Tip: do not add too much filling or thick bananas inside your crepe or it will be difficult to fold into triangles.
- To make triangle crepes: fold the crepe in half (hotdog style), then in half again (hamburger style).
- Optional decoration: place some Nutella inside a pastry bag and microwave for 15-30 seconds. Cut a small hole and drizzle the Nutella over the crepes. Then dust powder sugar with a sifter and enjoy!
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3 comments
Chocoviv
I love crepes with banana and nutella!!
oursweetadventures
Me too 🙂 Enjoy the recipe!
Debra Giorgini
These are Delicious!!