Gluten-Free Vegan Teff Crepes
Introduction
This yeast based 100% teff crepe recipe is inspired by the traditional Ethiopian teff sourdough flatbread: injera.
Traditional injera has a thickness somewhere in between a crepe and a pancake.
The crepes in this recipe are somewhat thinner than injera, mild in flavor and can be used for sweet or savory applications.
The goal is to provide someone new to using teff an easy beginner recipe that will inspire to explore teff further.
How This Recipe Came About
In the past several weeks, while working on the post Cooking with Teff 101, I attempted several times to make teff injera, the traditional Ethiopian sourdough flatbread.
As I watched multiple videos and read a number of posts on making teff injera, I realized I likely would be able to make some very good crepes using the same techniques.
In particular, a traditional step in making injera involves taking a portion of the batter and cooking it down into a paste called the “absit”.
That paste is then incorporated back into the injera batter which helps to thicken and bind it.
Tools Discussion
As discussed below, the right tools are crucial to making thin crepes consistently and easily.
Most of these tools are likely to already be available to you.
The Crepe Pan
While hot, teff crepes are more fragile than wheat or buckwheat crepes and a non-stick skillet will make your life a lot easier.
If you don’t have a non-stick pan, you can try using a thin layer of oil on a shallow frying pan but be aware this is the most challenging method.
Below are discussed a few good skillet options.
My Favorite Option
Since I didn’t have a non-stick pan, a couple of weeks ago, after a teff crepe fail, I decided to search again for a crepe pan.
And that is when I came across a nifty gadget: an 8 inch non-stick crepe maker which gets dipped into the crepe batter.
I am not typically a gadget person and it took me forever to get an Instant Pot and an Air Fryer for example – two purchases I really appreciate now.
But I was determined to crack the crepe making code so I decided to give this reasonably priced crepe maker a try and I am glad I did.
After just a few tries, I was able to make thin crepes in no time at all.
No more need to spread the batter – no need even to flip sides unless you want to.
I now have what feels like a crepe making genie that helps me crank out crepes in no time.
Caveat: Be aware that there could still be a learning curve for you with this gadget.
The first three times I used the crepe maker went really smoothly – perhaps due to beginners luck.
The fourth time, my batter was too thick and it did not adhere well to the crepe maker.
Then, the fifth time, with a thinner batter, the process went well again.
Other Larger Options
Another limitation of the crepe maker is that it makes 8-inch crepes.
If you want larger crepes, then you will want to opt for a shallow non-stick skillet such as this reasonably priced 11-inch crepe pan.
In that case, it will also be helpful to use a crepe rake and spatula.
There is also on Amazon a 16-inch non-stick round griddle which is highly rated and likely a good investment if you are aiming to make large crepes or flatbreads regularly.
To retrieve larger crepes, there is also a traditional Ethiopian tool called a sefed that could help you when making any type of large crepes/tortillas.
Cookie Sheet Drying Rack
The teff crepes are surprisingly firm and flexible once cooled.
However, when hot they are quite fragile and sticky.
Therefore, once the crepes are made, if not using immediately, you will want to let them cool and firm up before stacking them.
If you have a cookie sheet drying rack, it will work well for cooling these crepes as well.
Small Sauce Pot
You will also need a small sauce pot to thicken part of the batter into a paste.
Blender
A blender does quick work of mixing up the crepe batter and it is particularly useful for blending in the thick paste half way through the recipe.
A high speed blender is the fastest option but a regular blender or even a hand blender should work as well with more time.
Silicone Spatula
A small silicone spatula will be helpful to 1) thicken part of the crepe batter as well as 2) to lift the finished crepe.
Ingredients Discussion
This recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients.
Teff Flour
As discussed in Cooking with Teff 101, you can make your own teff flour at home if you have whole grain teff or you can purchase milled teff flour.
To make your own teff flour from whole grain teff, please see instructions provided here.
Ivory teff will be lighter in color and yield a somewhat milder flavor than brown teff: both are delicious, nutty and without any hint of bitterness.
For this post, I used brown teff purchased from Azure Standard which I milled with my micronizer mill.
If you are trying to please picky eaters, than ivory teff flour may be a better option as it will be closer in appearance to wheat flour.
Water
I used filtered tap water in this recipe to avoid chlorine.
Since we are using commercial yeast here, regular tap water is likely to work as well.
Active Dry Yeast
These crepes use active dry yeast for a quicker fermentation.
Link provided is for a yeast only product, without any additives.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is suggested so that, combined with baking soda, it can provide additional leavening as well as depth of flavor.
Other acids can be used such as lemon juice, distilled vinegar, kombucha or even some sourdough discard if available.
Baking Soda
The baking soda reduces the acidity of the batter and provides extra leavening when combined with an acid.
Sea Salt
A small amount of sea salt is added to the batter for depth of flavor.
Sometimes, iodized salt gives an off flavor to baked goods.
I use Himalayan sea salt but any type of non iodized salt will work.
Optional Sweetener
If you want to make dessert crepes, an optional sweetener such as a tablespoon of maple syrup can be added.
I personally don’t add any because I like to freeze my crepes and prefer to keep my options open for future sweet or savory use.
Optional Spices
The crepes are great plain but for variety you can add in some spices of your choosing to complement the filling you have in mind.
Conclusion
My hope is that this recipe will help you become more comfortable with using teff flour.
Wishing you, as always, a grainlicious experience!
Gluten-Free Vegan Teff Crepe Recipe
Equipment
- 1 blender ( any type of blender will work )
- 1 crepe maker ( or crepe pan as discussed in main post )
- 1 cookie sheet drying rack ( if not using crepes immediately )
- 1 wax paper ( optional but useful if freezing crepes )
- 1 crepe rake and spatula ( if using a crepe pan or griddle)
Ingredients
- 225 grams teff flour ( 1 ½ cups )
- ½ tsp active dry yeast
- 450 grams lukewarm filtered water ( 2 cups )
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp Himalayan sea salt
Instructions
Blend Initial Batter – First Ferment Phase
- Blend teff flour, water and yeast in blender until well combined. (about 30 seconds)
- Allow batter to rest for 30 minutes – by then it should be bubbly.
- Pulse batter a couple of times.
Create Paste Binder
- Pour out 1/2 cup (100 grams ) of batter into sauce pan.
- Set sauce pan to medium heat and stir with spatula frequently until batter forms a thick paste – should take 5 minutes.
- Remove sauce pan from heat and spread paste thinly along sides of sauce pan to cool faster.
Blend Paste into Batter
- After about 5 minutes, add cooled paste back into blender.
- Add remaining ingredients (vinegar, baking soda and salt) to blender.
- Blend for a minute until paste is fully incorporated and you have a thick, smooth batter.
Second Ferment Phase
- Allow to rest for 15 more minutes.
Make Crepes Using Crepe Maker
- Fill the crepe maker dipping plate half way with batter.
- Preheat your crepe maker for about 2 minutes until drops of water sizzle on it and quickly evaporate.
- Dip crepe maker into dipping plate for 5 seconds at most.
- Slide to one side and turn crepe maker over.
- Wait about a minute until crepe batter dries out and sides start to curl up.
- (Optional step: use silicon spatula to lift a side and flip crepe over if desired)
- Use silicone spatula to lift a side and transfer to plate (or cookie drying rack if not using immediately)
- Repeat process until batter runs out.
Make Crepe Using Non-Stick Crepe Pan
- Portion out crepe batter depending on size of the crepe pan and thickness desired.
- Tilt crepe pan to spread out batter thinly over surface of pan or use crepe rake.
- Once batter has dried, crepe can be flipped to other side using a long wood spatula as discussed in main post.
- Use wooden spatula to transfer crepe to plate (or cookie drying rack if not using immediately)
- Repeat process until batter runs out, pulsing batter as needed if it separates.
Stack Crepes
- After crepes have cooled a few minutes, they can be stacked.
Enjoy!
- Crepes can be enjoyed with a sweet or savory fillings and toppings of your choice.
Freezing Extra Crepes
- Crepes can be separated using wax paper, placed in a freezer bag and kept for at least a month.
Reheating Crepes
- To reheat crepes, set crepe maker or skillet to medium heat and place crepe on hot surface for about one minute.
Note: For another gluten-free crepe alternative, you may also want to check out my 3-Ingredient Buckwheat Crepe Recipe.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional or a nutritionist. This post is provided for general educational purposes. For a full disclaimer, please see here.
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