Every year, millions of couples flock about trying to make dinner reservations at fancy restaurants and eateries, all to play the Valentine’s game. Yes, the setting may be nice, and it’s nice to have someone bring food to your table, so you and your mate can focus on the mushes, but what if you couldn’t get that reservation? What if you’re just plain poor? Or alternately, what if you just want to make something at home to keep Valentine’s Day special? Well PCFG has you covered! Today we’re gonna go over one of the easiest “fancy” recipes you can make for that special someone, while seeming like a total whizz. And best of all, odds are that you already have everything to make it! So pull up a chair, and let’s look at making some delicious, chocolatey crepes!

Crepes seem daunting, but in reality they’re remarkably simple. The process of cooking them can be a little tricky at first, but after one or two of them you’ll be fine. We’ve all seen crepes at weddings and other formal events, especially this variety: Nutella crepes. Erm, or actually I should say “chocolate-hazlenut spread” crepes. Either way, you can fill them with whatever your heart desires, but everyone knows you’re supposed to eat chocolate stuff on Valentine’s Day, so go pick up a jar. (And do yourself a favor, buy the off-brand, since name-brand Nutella is freaking expensive).

Basic Crepe Recipe

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3/4 cup milk*
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• Nutella/Peanut butter/Marshmallow fluff/etc…

*For extra fluffy, decadent crepes, try using buttermilk! Just substitute the regular milk for buttermilk, then add an extra tablespoon of sugar, and two tablespoons of extra water.

1. Preheat a medium to large frying pan, on a medium-high flame preferably one with really low sides. (Trust us, the lower the better, when it comes to flipping the crepes over with a spatula)
   
2. Whisk your ingredients all together, in order, making sure it blends together nicely. Crepe batter needs to be really smooth. Basically, you want it to resemble pancake batter, only really runny.
3. Grease your pan with an oiled/buttered/sprayed paper towel to keep it nice and non-stick-y, and then add in about 1/4 cup of crepe batter.
   
4. IMMEDIATELY lift your pan up and start tilting it around, to help the crepe batter coat the entire bottom of the pan. If you need to, add a little bit more batter to make sure it’s a nice even coat with no holes.
   
5. Once the pan is coated, set the pan down on the stove and let the crepe cook a bit for about a minute or so.
6. When the edges turn golden-tan and the middle should look like it’s starting to congeal, get ready to flip your crepe. Lift the pan off the flame again, and use the flattest spatula you have to caaaarefully flip the crepe over.
   
7. Spoon 2-3 tbsp of Nutella (or your filling of choice) onto one side of the crepe and use the spoon to gently spread it around. (It should start to liquify from the heat after a few seconds).
   
8. Use your spatula to check the underside of the crepe. Once it seems cooked underneath, flip the half of the plantain with no topping over on top of the other side, sorta like a taco shell. Remove it from the pan and you’re all finished! Repeat until the batter is done.

To be honest, the only hard part about making crepes is the flipping part. They’re really delicate, so if you’re not careful you can rip it. Bear in mind, you may need to adjust your stove if the crepes are either cooking too fast or too slow. Use your best judgment, and remember: your first crepe WILL turn out shitty. Just accept that fact and you’ll feel a lot better while making them. Take your time, be patient, and in no time you’ll have a super presentable, super delectable plate of hipster pancakes ready for that special someone.

Happy Valentine’s Day, all you poor couples out there!