Roll Up Your Crêpes For Even More Sweet Fillings In Every Bite

When you read or watch a quick crepe recipe, sometimes it feels as though the best part, the filling, is just an afterthought. In other words, most of the attention is placed on mixing the batter and heating the crepe pan to an optimal temperature. Then, at the end of the recipe, you get brief instructions that usually go something like, "Fold, top with something yummy, and sprinkle with powdered sugar." And that's all the guidance you get.

If you truly want the best, most delicious crepe, you need to focus on every aspect of the recipe. Besides carefully choosing your fillings, this includes choosing how you're going to present your crepes. After all that hard work, do you really just want to fold your treat in quarters and smatter something on top? It might look pretty, but it's a horrible strategy for eating. It's like trying to make the perfect sandwich by simply stacking the bread, then dumping all the ingredients and condiments on top. If you want to get even more sweet filling in every bite, consider rolling your crepe.

There are several ways to present a crepe, and you can break them down into three general approaches. The first (and most basic) is folding. Spread a thin layer of filling on the crepe, fold it in half, and fold it in half again to create a triangle. Alternatively, you can place a line of filling down the center of the crepe and fold in each side — roughly in thirds — so the crepe is, in essence, hugging the filling to keep it inside.

Another solution is to create a pouch. You can accomplish this by placing the filling in the center and folding in the sides, then folding in the bottom and top. This creates a rectangular pocket that holds your filling like a special-delivery package.

The third method is a simple roll. Slather your entire crepe with filling, then roll it up. If you cut it in half, you'll find it looks like a Swiss roll or a jelly roll, giving you filling in every bite. If you want to fit even more inside, however, take a page from a burrito: Pile up all your ingredients in the middle, fold in the sides, roll up from the bottom, and tuck in the top, pinching the sides to help keep it closed. This strategy will give you gobs of goodness in every mouthful.