Mathis Joubert has been making crêpes since elementary school. Born in South Korea, the BalletX dancer grew up in a French village of just 500 people called Betz-le-Château. “As a kid, I was putting Nutella, ice cream, or sugar with lemon on them,” says Joubert. But as Joubert’s taste buds have matured, so has his crêpe recipe. “My fiancée, she doesn’t eat sugar,” he says. “Some people put sugar in the recipe, but we don’t.” Today, Joubert likes to top his crêpes with melted dark chocolate and fresh fruit.
Growing up, Joubert often had crêpes for goûter, the traditional sweet snack that most French children eat after school around 4 pm. But for children and adults alike, crêpes play a starring role each year during La Chandeleur. Held annually on February 2 (40 days after Christmas), the French holiday has Catholic origins but has evolved into a winter festival revolving around crêpes. “You can go to a crêperie or make them yourself,” says Joubert. “Usually we make homemade, because I really like to cook with my family or my fiancée or my friends. It’s a fun moment.”
French Fromage
Joubert first moved to the U.S. eight years ago. What does he miss most about France? “Really good cheese,” he says. Many of Joubert’s family members are farmers, which means that growing up he had constant access to fresh cheese, meat, vegetables, and fruits. “In the U.S., there’s a tendency to go out to eat very often. In Europe, we are mostly eating at home,” he says. “For your health, I think it’s better to cook, so you really know what you have on your plate. I try to get organic food here, but I’m missing it a bit.”
Mathis Joubert with his fiancée, dancer Tailys Poncione
Courtesy Joubert (2).
Ingredients
2 cups (250 g) flour
1 pinch of salt
4 whole eggs
2 cups (500 g) milk, refrigerated
3.5 tbsps (50 g) unsalted butter, melted, plus butter for the pan
optional: a few drops of vanilla or orange blossom extract
suggested toppings: fresh fruit, melted chocolate, ice cream, caramel, jam
Courtesy Joubert.
Instructions
Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl.
Make a well in the center, and crack the eggs into it.
Stir gently to combine. When the mixture becomes thick, gradually pour the cold milk into the well. (Joubert says that to avoid a lumpy batter, it’s important to stir from the center well, so that the flour around it sinks down by itself gradually. Avoid mixing all the ingredients at once.)
When everything is combined, add the melted butter and mix well. The texture of the batter should be fairly fluid. If it seems too thick, you can add a little bit more milk. If you’d like to add a few drops of vanilla or orange blossom extract, do so now.
Let the batter stand for up to 30 minutes. (“If you’re in a hurry to eat them, you don’t have to wait that long,” says Joubert.)
Brush the bottom of a crêpe pan or nonstick frying pan with butter and place over medium-high heat.
Once the pan is hot, pour in a small ladleful of batter and swirl it to distribute it over the entire surface. (“The crêpe must be thin,” says Joubert. “Don’t make it as thick as an American pancake!”)
Once the crêpe turns a light golden brown on the bottom, flip it over and cook on the other side.
Repeat with more batter, brushing the pan with butter between each crêpe. Keep cooked crêpes warm in the oven.
Add your toppings of choice and enjoy! Bon appétit!
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