Pancake Tuesday is upon us once again! Last year I made Lacy pancakes, which were a real treat. This year I wanted to try my hand at buckwheat galettes. I remember the first time I tried a buckwheat galette on holidays in France. I was young and the colour reminded me of chocolate, so I was excited to try them. Sadly for me at the time, they didn’t taste of chocolate at all. They just tasted like an excellent crepe with a beautiful texture and slightly nutty flavour. In France they eat buckwheat galettes with savoury fillings, and also with sweet ones like salted caramel from Brittany. Buckwheat is a very nutritious flour, that isn’t related to the wheat family at all. It’s actually derived from the rhubarb and sorrel family. It’s a great ingredient to try and brings fantastic flavour to these galettes. The salty caramel is of course amazingly delicious….but not quite as healthy as the buckwheat. Together though, they are a match made in heaven.
Ingredients
Buckwheat galettes
- ¾ of a cup / 100g of buckwheat flour
- ½ cup / 65g of all-purpose flour (You can also use Gluten-free flour)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup / 240 mls of water
- ¾ cup / 180ml of whole milk
- 3 tablespoons/ 45g of butter, melted
Salted Caramel
- ½ cup /110g of granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons / 45g of salted butter (I like to use Kerrygold)
- A good pinch of sea salt
- 1/3 cup / 80ml of cream
Method
To make the galettes, place the flours in a stand mixer or large bowl. Stir them together and then add the beaten egg. Mix well with a whisk, before adding the water and milk. Stir together, and when it is all combined, leave to cool in the fridge for an hour.
Meanwhile, you can make the salted caramel. Place the sugar in a large heavy bottomed saucepan, over a high heat. As the sugar melts, stir it from time to time to ensure it melts evenly. Cook the sugar until it looks a bit like molten copper. Reduce the heat to low and add the butter and salt. Whisk together until the butter has melted. With the heat still on low, slowly add the cream and continue to whisk all the time. It will bubble and spit, but keep whisking until all the cream has been incorporated. Take off the heat and leave to cool slightly.
When you are ready to make the galettes, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Heat a good non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Brush the pan with a small amount of the melted butter. I like to use a rubber brush to do this, but you could use a heat resistant spoon too. Test a small amount of the batter on the frying pan. If it sizzles up straight away, you are ready to make the galettes. Ladle on a small amount of the galette mixture and rotate the pan from side to side to spread the batter evenly. Cook for a few minutes, before flipping it over to the other side. Place the cooked galette on a plate, over a saucepan of just boiled water. This will keep the galettes warm as you continue to use up the rest of the batter. I like to clean the pan with dry piece of kitchen paper, between each galette and brush with more butter. This recipe makes about 8- 10 galettes, depending on size.
To serve, place the galettes on a plate, drizzle with the salted caramel, and place a good scoop of vanilla ice-cream on top.
