When it comes to pancake day, I don’t discriminate and fill the day with as many types of pancakes as possible – from a fluffy American-style stack in the morning to a savoury buckwheat pancake at lunch, and finishing off with classic crepes in the evening. This version was heavily inspired by an almond croissant, so although it does lean more towards dessert, I won’t judge if this is what you choose to start your day with. Bake them until the edges go crisp but the middle stays a little gooey.
Almond frangipane crepes
Prep 5 min
Rest 20+ min
Cook 50 min
Makes 7-8 crepes
120g plain flour
½ tbsp caster sugar
A pinch of salt
2 large eggs
240ml whole milk
25g melted butter, plus extra for greasing
Icing sugar, for dusting
Lightly whipped cream, to serve (optional)
For the frangipane
90g salted butter, softened
90g caster sugar
¼-½ tsp almond extract
1 large egg
110g ground almonds
50g flaked almonds
Put the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl and whisk briefly to combine. Add the eggs, whisk to a thick paste, then pour in the milk in three batches, whisking each time to avoid any lumps. Leave the batter to sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes, but an hour is ideal. Stir the melted butter into the batter.
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 and line two large baking trays. Put a 22-23cm frying pan on a medium heat and lightly grease it with melted butter. Pour some batter into the centre of the pan, swirling it around to make sure the pan is evenly coated. Cook for 30-40 seconds, then flip over the crepe and cook it on the other side for another 20 seconds. Transfer the crepe to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
To make the filling, put the butter, sugar and almond extract in a bowl and beat until smooth and slightly pale. Mix in the egg, followed by the ground almonds.
Spread about a tablespoon of the frangipane on to each crepe (leaving a small border all around the edge), then fold in half. Fold in half again, this time slightly off-centre, then top with another smidge of frangipane and a small handful of flaked almonds. Arrange the filled crepes on the lined trays and bake for 15 minutes, until the edges look crisp. Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar and with a dollop of cream, if you like.
