Author Notes: Affectionately called “thousand-hole crêpe,” these are really named “baghrir.” While I went ahead and prepared the batter the night before and allowed it to r (…more) —Rachel
Food52 Review: If you’re the kind of person who’s always been afraid to make crepes from scratch, this recipe is for you! The semolina flour contributes a sturdiness that m (…more) —Jen Barthell
Makes about 10 baghrir
- 1 1/2cups semolina flour
- 1/2cup wheat flour
- 1 1/2teaspoons dried yeast
- 1tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2teaspoons sugar (I used turbinado, but any sugar is fine)
- 2cups milk
- 1/4-1/2cups water
- Unsalted butter, for cooking
- Yogurt, for serving
- Toasted chopped walnuts, for serving
- Honey, for serving
- 1cup dates, chopped
- 1cup dried apricots, chopped
- 2cups boiling water
- 1/2teaspoon orange zest, optional
- 2tablespoons orange juice, optional
- 1/3cup honey
- 1/4cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts because that’s what I had, but I imagine whole pine nuts would be incredible. Chopped almonds or pistachios would also be delicious!)
- 1/2-3/4teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2teaspoon salt
- 1/4teaspoon ground cardamom
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together semolina, flour, yeast, baking powder, salt, sugar, and milk for the baghrir. Transfer to a blender, and blend for around three minutes; it should be a smooth and relatively thin batter, like that of a French crêpe. Cover and move to the fridge for an overnight rise.
- The next day: pull your batter out of the fridge and make sure it’s the desired consistency. It likely will have thickened a bit during fermentation; simply add a tablespoon of water at a time and whisk or blend until it’s easily pourable. I ended up adding 5 tablespoons. Allow the batter to rest as you work on the compote.
- In a sauce pan, pour boiling water over the chopped dates and apricots. Cover with a lid, and let soak for 20 minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients for the compote to the pot and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until liquid has mostly evaporated and it has become viscous and syrup-y. Remove from heat.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat and melt a dab of butter. Once hot, pour in batter about 1/3 cup at a time, and swirl the pan around to get a thinner coating of batter; these are crêpes, not pancakes! You want a very pale bottom and a just-cooked, sponge-y top. Once the surface is dry, transfer to a plate and cook off the rest.
- Spread a layer of yogurt on top of the crêpe and spoon compote on top. Drizzle with honey or add crushed walnuts if you desire, and serve.
