A spoonful of happy: Les Crêpes de la Chandeleur with Nutella

I absolutely love Nutella so it was a no-brainer when I was asked to come up with an Easter breakfast recipe that complements the hazelnut-based spread.

The beauty of Nutella is that a little goes a long way. One 15g portion (equivalent to one heaped teaspoon) is 80kcals and can be enjoyed as part of a balanced and varied breakfast.

Speaking of portioning, Nutella actually came into existence as a result of rationing during World War Two. Cocoa beans were in short supply so Pietro Ferrero mixed ingredients including hazelnuts, cocoa and vegetable oil.

A few years later, he refined the recipe so that it could be easily spread on bread. In 1964, it changed names from ‘Supercrema Gianduja’ to Nutella.

We all love pancakes and, as my family are Francophiles, we enjoy making Les Crêpes de la Chandeleur now and then.

This is a popular French recipe that is often used for savoury courses as well as sweet ones, but I think it works particularly well for breakfast.

There are, of course, variations of the recipe and my friends in France insist on including brown sugar. Don’t tell them this, but I think it works just as well without! The added bonus of excluding sugar is that it makes the flavour of the Nutella stand out more too.

This recipe serves four people with two crêpes each. Use one heaped teaspoon (15g) of Nutella per two crêpes. It goes nicely with a side of raspberries and blueberries.

Ingredients

• 250g whole grain flour
• A pinch of salt
• Two eggs
• 500ml milk
• One tablespoon of vegetable oil

Method

• Mix all of the ingredients with a balloon whisk and leave in the fridge for at least an hour. Overnight is fine too.
• Place a small frying pan on the hob at a high heat and add a little oil.
• Use two tablespoons of the mixture per crêpe.
• Heat each crêpe until it is cooked on both sides as you would with a pancake.
• Serve two crêpes with one heaped teaspoon (15g) of Nutella per person.

It’s a simple but pleasing breakfast recipe and it’s great to know that a small serving of Nutella can make such a big difference.

Disclosure: this is a collaborative post.