Buckwheat crepes are commonly known in French as “crêpes de blé noir” or “crêpes de sarrasin” (blé noir and sarrasin both translating to buckwheat).
They are the quintessence of traditional Brittany cuisine, and if you’re visiting this beautiful North-Western French region, going to a “creperie” to enjoy one (or two, or three…) of these buckwheat crepes is an inevitable must-do.
The recipe
Made with the simplest of ingredients (buckwheat flour, egg, salt and water), these 100% buckwheat crepes are the most authentic savoury French crepe recipe you’ll find (as opposed to the “crêpes de froment” – wheat flour crepes- that are meant to be enjoyed with sweet toppings).
The most classic variation (one you’ll always find at the top of a creperie menu) is the “crêpe complete” which includes ham, cheese (usually gruyere) and an egg (the egg is either done “mirroir”-sunny-side up– or “brouillé” –scrambled).
Another common variation in Brittany is the galette-saucisse (a specialty from the city of Rennes) where a grilled sausage is wrapped in the crepe and enjoyed with your hands (like a hot-dog). Mushrooms, French andouille (tripe sausage), and caramelized onions are also very popular toppings.
Although, I have to confess I often love to finish off my meal with a buckwheat crepe for dessert, topped with melted chocolate…
Cooking notes:
- Modern variations of this recipe add some wheat flour to provide some gluten and make the crepe more forgiving. To do so, switch a third of the total amount of flour (2/3 cups) with regular wheat flour. While not as authentic, this ratio will give you a batter that will be easier to work with and less prone to breakage – while providing a buckwheat flavour that is still dominant.
- Traditional crepes are made on a bilig, with the help of a roselle. Obviously, this is not the kind of equipment everyone has in their kitchen, but a non-stick pan and a rubber or wooden spatula will do just fine. Crepes are simply peeled off from the pan with the help of a spatula, and gently placed back upside down on the pan.
- If you are preparing a stack of crepes (to be garnished and enjoyed later), prepare a plate covered with a clean dish cloth. Each time you finish a crepe and peel it off from the pan, place it on the plate – preferably folded in half so it is easier to grab later- and cover it with the cloth. Pile your crepes on the plate, and make sure the cloth is always wrapped around your plate, nice and tight – so the steam is kept inside. This technique will make sure your crepes are evenly cooked and very tender.
If you try these Buckwheat Crepes from Brittany let me know! Leave a comment or share a photo using #pardonyourfrench on Instagram.
Bon Appétit!
34 comments
[…] powdery soft buckwheat flour — the grayish-brown soba noodles of Japan, or the classic crêpe bretonne (savory buckwheat flour crêpes) of northwestern France. To make your own buckwheat […]
Brought back tears…and memories of my life living in Rennes for awhile in 1972. I doubt the basic galette recipe has changed much, only have a vague memory of the contents. I also lived in Pau, Orleans and Caen also. Interesting the crêpe recipes changed from region to region from family to family–rather like chocolate chip cookies here in the US (believe it or not it’s my least favorite cookie–I’m probably considered Anti-American). Thank you SO much!! My first meal in Orleans (and in France) cooked by a local at her home were delicious green beans cooked with oodles of garlic and butter. Oh, my memories of these wonderful people.
Thank you for your comment, so glad this brought back fond memories of France! This recipe definitely embodies the essence of my childhood in Brittany and my university years in Rennes!
How much water should you use?
Hi Debbie. You will need at least 1 cup of water (250ml) – more or less depending on how big is the egg you used. You must reach the consistency of a thin pancake batter/heavy cream.
I have made some crepes with buckwheat flour but they do not taste the same and they are not as dark as those I’ve enjoyed in Brittany Are there different types of buckwheat flour?
Hi Jill! Yes I also find Brittany crepes to be darker and more nutty in flavour. The buckwheat from Brittany is less-processed and we have an IGP (certification) that controls how buckwheat flour is made in Brittany to ensure its quality. In US/Canada, have you tried Bob’s Red Mill Buckwheat flour? I’ve had pretty good results using it. I hope this helps!
je suis bretonne et je ne trouve pas d’equivalent pour la farine de blé noir. bob’s red mill rend les galettes vraiment noir
Bonjour Sophie. Oui en effet la farine Bob’s Red Mill est plus noire, celle de chez Bulk Barn aussi. Vous pouvez toujours acheter la Treblec sur Amazon (https://www.amazon.ca/Treblec-Farine-Ble-Noir-1Kg/dp/B07L1XQ6V7/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=farine+de+ble+noir&qid=1580849424&sr=8-1). I hope this helps!
Have you tried making these with an egg substitute? I am using flax and the crepes are not turning out at all. Cooking fir a friend who has horrible food allergies currently.
Hi Bev! I have never tried making Buckwheat Crepes (Brittany-style) without eggs; so I can’t really give you any advice. I wouldn’t recommend tweaking this recipe, but instead try and find a vegan recipe for buckwheat crepes; it looks like this one (from Minimalist Baker) has great reviews: https://minimalistbaker.com/5-ingredient-buckwheat-crepes/
I hope this helps!
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Very good recipe. I added the 1/3 cup of white flour for my first time making this and wonder if this is why I needed almost 2 cups of water to get it to the right consistency. Next time I will compare with all buckwheat.
Thanks for your feedback!
Fantastic recipes! Thank you!
Thank you!
Hi! thank you for the recipe!
Which kind of buckwheat is best for the crepes? Is green buckwheat adequate?
Many thanks!
Hello Yasmin. I would not suggest using green buckwheat, as it is not toasted – meaning it lacks the roasted and nutty notes that are synonymous with a French buckwheat crepe. Stick to brown buckwheat (toasted) and make sure you purchase the flour and not the grains/seeds. Happy cooking!
Hi,
I followed the recipe from your book exactly and got a gray wallpaper sludge. It didn’t look at all like the photo (no golden brown, no bubbles). Used Bob’s Red Mill Buckwheat Flour too. Looking around online I see recipes with a much higher liquid ratio and more eggs. What is your secret to making these work with 2 cups of flour and one cup of water? Thank you.
Hello, Mike. I quickly found out that this recipe has been hit or miss when it comes to the amount of water needed. Some use what’s in the book, and some need significantly more, and there’s no way to know, as it seems to depend on the type flour used and the way it was milled.
My best suggestion, if you were to try to make it again, would be to stick to the idea that the consistency of the batter needs to be like that of heavy cream. I apologize that they didn’t turn out as written.
hi
Can galettes be made without eggs? Is there an approved recipe without eggs? If so, please send it to me.
Unfortunately, I do not know of any recipe that doesn’t use eggs, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. You could attempt to try the recipe with egg substitutes (if available), but I’ve never seen it tried and couldn’t recommend anything I haven’t tried. Sorry!
We fell in love with Brittany when we were on a cruise this past fall. We bought a crepe maker so we could try making the at home. I first tried the recipe that came with the machine which called for 4 eggs and less regular flour. They tasted fine and cooked properly but I wanted to repeat our pleasure of Brittany crepes using buckwheat and your recipe. I added way more than 1 cup of water and it was still too thick so I added another egg and more water. They turned out ok but they sure didn’t look like yours. I realized after the fact that maybe I should have weighed the flour. Anymore hints for success would be appreciated.
Hello, Tamara! Sorry for the late response, but Christmas was hectic!
So, first off, I love that you dedicated yourself to getting a Crepe maker! So, let’s do our best here to try and recreate what you had here (which can be tricky). Many creperies use their own flour from their own mill, and so crepes can be quite different from one place to the other. I have also found that the buckwheat flour found outside France can be a bit diffferent as well. But, that said, you can still have delicious Crepes.
For sure, to start, measure the flour (but it’s not absolutely vital). Add the salt, then the egg… Now, here is where your learning curve with your flour comes in. The amount of water could vary by a little, to a lot. Just keep adding water until your batter becomes a velvety smooth liquid, that has the consistency of heavy cream. No extra eggs, just water. That’s when it’s time to start making crepes.
I also advise trying a few different brands of buckwheat flour to see which you like best. I think you’ll find there’s quite a bit of difference between then, in both color, taste and texture. Please let me know how it turns out 🙂
First, I can’t believe you answered on Christmas day! Merry Christmas to you and yours. The flour I used was from Bulk Barn and it was “light”. The other choice was darker. It is very fine. I think I will try to weigh the flour and just keep adding water as you suggested. They tasted just fine. They disappeared at brunch without complaint but they didn’t have the lovely texture of yours. Thanks so much for your encouragement. I will try to remember to let you know how the next batch turn out. Happy New Year
You’re so welcome, Tamara – Merry Christmas to you as well! Crepes take a little bit of time to get the hang of… My husband refuses to make them, as he says they never turn out, but he lacks patience for these things. Crepes, as simple as they are, just take a bit of time to get the hang of. The right consistency, the swirl and even the correct flour. It’s a lot like bread in some ways. I’m confident you’ll get it! Next time you’re in France, I suggest bringing a small bag of buckwheat flour back home with you 😉
I was always instructed to let my flour batter sit for hours to get a bit of natural yeast going for texture and bubbles. Being a different plant, is fine buckwheat flour going to react to similar conditions?
I love bubbles in grain foods.
I have to point out that a great many foods in USA have been irradiated to retard spoilage. It is not required to be labeled as such! So the ingredient has no life:no enzymes, natural yeasts, etc. I found the difference between French and US beef to be profound, due to all the junk we allow. I just quit eating anything not organic and locally produced so I don’t feel like I ate a brick.
Then crêpe makers that do their own flour, there must be a symphony of live elements that add to the magic interactions in the batter. Like the sour wild bieres?
Merci pour cette inspiration!
Hello, Alisamaree! I always let my sweet crepe batter sit for up to an hour for the very reasons you posted above. It’s basically the “rule” around here. As for this buckwheat version, I unfortunately haven’t found a difference myself by letting it sit, but that’s not to say it won’t be different for you.
As you also mentioned, there is a vast difference in the food and food quality between France and North America for many products, and finding a good quality buckwheat flour that will give you the same taste as a French one will be tricky – I know firsthand. What I would do is make a batch and cook some immediately. Save half the batch (or even just a bit) and wait an hour or so and cook the rest. A bit of a pain, but you’ll know for sure if you like that flour, and secondly, if any changes came from “fermentation”. A neat little project!
Can these be made with sprouted buckwheat flour?
Hello, Linda! While I haven’t used sprouted buckwheat flour myself, it is apparently quite similiar, just with some of the starches already “digested” – so while the flavor might be slightly different (apparently sweeter, per reports) it should act quite similar. I’d definitely try a half batch first to see if it gives the desired result before going all out. Good luck!
I have made this crepe recipe twice so far, and I’m thinking tonight will be time number three. These crepes are perfect–not too many ingredients, light, delicate, and so rich in buckwheat flavor. (I LOVE buckwheat.) Additionally, I’m grinding my own flour, which probably makes these even more flavorful. Thank you so much for this simple yet so delicious recipe!
Sounds amazing, Jodi!!! You grind your own buckwheat? Is it from your land, or do you purchase it whole? I am so intrigued, the flavors must be absolutely robust! I am a buckwheat fanatic too, so I understand you completely 🙂
Oh my days that makes me remember of Rennes as a child !
I’ll definetely try to find buckweat flour and make these one day.
Merci beaucoup !
You’re so welcome, Anna! I absolutely love Rennes, and will be back visiting there soon 🙂