Which greasing pad should I use to make the best crepes?
Before cooking each crepe, a grease pad should be applied to the griddle.
This pad plays 2 roles:
- To remove any debris left over from the previous crepes from the griddle - batter or excess fillings (sugar spilt outside the crepe, salted butter caramel or honey drippings, pieces of cheese, etc.),
- To grease the griddle so that the batter does not stick.
There are 2 types of grease pads: commercial pads and homemade pads.
Commercial grease pads
For many years, Krampouz (them again!) marketed a metal pad on which felt refills were placed. This pad is no longer sold.
I discovered and tested in 2019 their new "coating, greasing, wiping pad": nothing to complain about on the technical side. The handle unscrews to allow the attachment of thin flexible sheets woven in fiberglass which have the advantage of being able to be cleaned with water. In use, the pad is exceptionally smooth and moves effortlessly over the griddle.
So is it all good? Yes... if you don't look at the price... The pad sells for €32 inc VAT on the internet, and the refill pack is €38 inc VAT. I don't know how often the refills are changed, but it reminds me of HP printers that sell for €80 and cartridges for €40. HP makes a living from selling cartridges and Krampouz from refills 😉
User instructions for greasing PAD ATE1 and cleaning wipes ATE2 Krampouz
Artisanal greasing pad
Let’s talk about Plan B? It's a Grandma's trick, and a Grandma knows all about saving money...
So here it goes: you make a grease pad with a clean, empty can (like a large tuna can if you have a large hand and a corn can for a small hand) into which you slip a piece of cotton cloth.
After each cooking period you unravel the ball so that an area of clean cloth is visible. After a certain time, or if you are not going to use it for a long time, you replace the piece of cloth with a new one.
It’s good for your pocket!
Thanks Grannie!
