Forget about breakfast or dessert pancakes. This is a different beast altogether, not sweet but savory, a lot closer to crocque madame ( = toast instead of the buckwheat pancake) than to sweet pancakes. Be generous with the stuffing, that you can serve it as a snack or small meal. The pancakes by themselves are not bad, but it is the combination with the filling that makes this dish remarkable.
Buckwheat is a different plant family than wheat. Its seeds are milled into a dark gluten-free flour. Because the lack of gluten makes the batter more fragile, adding regular wheat flour may make it easier to make pancakes that won't break too easily.
Crêpes de Bretagne are even larger than Belgian pancakes.
Use an oversize pan if you have one. A special 12" or larger griddle works even better.
This recipe shows a 1.5 part wheat flour to 2 parts buckwheat flour.
If you have trouble with your pancakes breaking, add more wheat flour, up to 3 parts to 4. If you want to try to be more original, use less wheat flour. It will enhance the buckwheat flavor and make the crepes darker, but they will be less pliable, may break instead of fold.
internet pictures
Pic2-4: batter
- Combine buckwheat flour, salt and the eggs in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix slowly with a spoon.
- Whisk in water little by little until he batter becomes very smooth with the consistency of heavy cream.
Pic5+6:
pancake batter spreader
Pic7: finished buckwheat pancake
- Heat your largest nonstick skillet/pan over medium heat. (12" or larger)
Preheat an electric pancake maker to 350-380 ºF.
- When your pan is hot, add a bit of butter and swirl it around.
I hold a stick of butter and spiral it over the pan.
- Immediately, add 1/3 cup of batter and swirl your pan quickly to completely cover the bottom.
The French use a fixed 'raclette' heater that cannot be swirled aka 'billig'. They use a 'râteau' = a little wooden rake without teeth, to spread the batter very quickly and very thinly. (Pic5+6)
- Cook until the underside of the crepe is dry– about 2 minutes.
- Loosen edge of crepe with a spatula and flip it.
- Cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Slide your crepe out of your pan onto a plate and cover with another plate to keep them warm.
- Repeat until all batter has been processed.
- These crepes can be kept up to 3 days in the fridge.
finishing up
Pic8-11:
finishing upThese savory pancakes are usually served with cheese, ham and a sunny egg.
Cook the egg separately.
- Toss shredded cheese in the middle of the pancake.
- Add a slice of ham.
- Add a sunny egg, already cooked.
- Fold the edges of the pancake towards the center, leaving the egg yolk free.
- Optionally cover.
- Warm through.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
b.
crêpes de Bretagne
in my kitchen
2020-09-24
This was the first time in at least 30 years that I made this back in Belgium.
I was glad to see I had not lost my touch yet.
I did buy a 12" electric pancake griddle for this. The biggest stovetop pan I have is about 10" diameter and that is a bit small for these pancakes, not enough extra edge to fold them properly.
I bought a 12" pancake griddle just for that purpose. It has the advantage of a thermostat that keeps the cooking surface at the ideal temperature.
I might have cooked this pancake a bit longer, until it was completely dark brown.
2020-09-24
Pic13: flour mix, egg
Pic14: whisk in water ...
Pic15: ... until very pourable
Pic16: 1st try
Pic17: 2nd try
Pic18: fry the egg
- My 1st buckwheat pancake after 30+ years was a disaster.
Not surprisingly, I had to figure out amount of batter and correct temperature.
- Second pancake was much better already. It filled the entire pan.
I was able to spread it out quickly and evenly enough to make it look good.
- Cook the pancakes until dark brown on both sides.
Use a wooden spatula to lift and flip the pancakes.
- Pan-fry the egg separately.
Pic19-21: the filling
- Add cheese, ham and a fried egg.
If you have a large lid for the pan, it will melt the cheese quicker and keep the filling warm.
Pic22-24: fold & serve
- Fold the edges of the pancake towards the center until only the sunny eye is visible.
With this little wheat flour, the pancakes may crack instead of fold.
- Slide the package onto a plate.
- Serve immediately.
This tends to cool down very quickly. Don't delay.
- Enjoy.
c. buckwheat waffles
2020-09-26+27
Two days in a row with such substantial breakfast was more than enough.
I still had a little bit of batter left over, decided to try to make buckwheat waffles.
The first attempt was not a success.
I added a cup of wheat flour, 1 tbsp. baking powder, 2 eggs and 2 tbsp. sugar, pushing the batter more towards the recipe for breakfast waffles, but the buckwheat was still there of course and quite noticeable in the finished product.
Then I rediscovered why I put that waffle iron in storage. I baked these later ones for close to 15 minutes each, and they still were not crisp. Double time in the toaster for breakfast the next day got me close to it.
These waffles tasted different than the buckwheat pancakes, (sweeter, more pliable) but also different than the breakfast waffles. I'm pretty sure I'll need a better waffle iron to bake them in a more reasonable time.
update 2021: I'll try this again now that I have a Belgian waffle iron.
2020-09-26+27
Pic25-27: wheat & buckwheat waffles
Pic1: savory crêpe de Bretagne 
Pic12: savory crêpe de Bretagne, in my kitchen