Caffe Mocha Crepes Recipe

If you've ever had the pleasure of traveling to France, you've likely indulged in the wonderfully delicate dish that is the crepe — yet further evidence of the absolute mastery that is French cuisine. These pan-cooked treats are the thinner, more refined cousin of the pancake, and while both are delicious, crepes are definitely the way to go if you are looking for a casually elegant breakfast or brunch offering. 

Developed by Jennine Rye, this recipe incorporates the dreamy flavor combo of coffee and chocolate into crepe form, making it the perfect plate for anyone with a love for all things espresso. The caffe mocha crepe batter is flavored with cocoa powder and coffee, while the cooked crepes are filled with a wonderfully light and airy coffee cream and finished with a homemade dark chocolate drizzle. The ultimate mocha dessert or morning meal, these sweet, caffeinated crepes will have you flipping with joy!

Make the crepe batter: Add flour, cocoa powder, instant coffee powder, sugar, and salt to a large bowl and whisk to combine.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs.

Pour the egg mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients, whisking well to create a smooth batter.

Transfer the batter to the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Whisk for 1-2 minutes, until soft peaks form.

Transfer coffee cream to the fridge until ready to serve.

Make the chocolate sauce: Add dark chocolate pieces to a heatproof bowl.

Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, and add the vanilla extract.

To cook the crepes, add a little bit of the butter to a crepe pan (or a wide, shallow frying pan) and place over medium-high heat.

Cook the crepe for 1-2 minutes, then flip with a spatula.

Cook the other side for another 30-60 seconds.

Transfer the crepe to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.

Drizzle on more chocolate sauce and serve right away.

Though the batters for crepes and pancakes contain nearly identical ingredients, they aren't actually as similar as you might think. While both rely on a base of flour, milk, and eggs, the key differences between the two come down to the quantities of each ingredient, and the additional inclusion of a rising agent for pancakes. While crepe batter is traditionally very thin, pancake batter is thicker and can be dolloped into a pan, causing it to cook up into beautifully fluffy and fat discs. Crepe batter, on the other hand, is thinly spread to the edges of the pan and cooked into a much larger and far more delicate disc.

That isn't where the differences end though. When incorporating fillings into a pancake, such as chocolate chips or blueberries, these ingredients are usually added to the batter and cooked into the pancake itself. Crepes, however, tend to be folded around savory or sweet fillings once they have been cooked, much like a wrap. Despite their many differences, both pancakes and crepes can be enjoyed either as savory or sweet dishes, and they make for the perfect breakfast, brunch, or lunch option. We definitely won't be picking favorites!