The different kinds of crepe ingredients include those for the thin pancake itself and the ones used in the filling and topping. The ingredients to make crepes can further be divided into sweet and savory since the pancakes may include meat fillings or, alternatively, dessert items. For both types of crepes, the ingredients for the batter are typically eggs, flour, salt, oil and milk.
White or brown sugar may be added to crepe batter when dessert crepes are wanted. For vegan diets, crepe ingredients for the batter often include soy milk and soy margarine. When substituting ingredients for crepe batter, care must be taken to obtain a thin enough consistency so that the pancakes won't become too thick.
Dessert crepes often use fruit ingredients such as fresh strawberry, banana or peace slices or, alternatively, jam spread on the pancake. Cream cheese is one of the most popular crepe ingredients as it may be used along with jam or fruit in dessert crepes or mixed with seasonings such as dill and garlic to make more savory fare. For example, seasoned cream cheese spread for crepes may blend well with a cooked bacon and spinach filling.
Other ingredient types for savory crepes include a chicken, ham, asparagus, mushrooms and a variety of possible cheeses. In addition to cream cheese with seasoning added, blue, Parmesan, provolone, cheddar, Swiss and many other kinds of cheeses make great savory crepe ingredients. Fresh or dried herbs such as oregano, basil, rosemary or tarragon are often combined with pepper as well as sauteed minced onions and garlic to increase the flavor of dinner or snack crepes.
Creamy white sauces such as Hollandaise are popular toppings for savory crepes. Parsley sprigs, dill weed or chopped tomatoes may be used as crepe ingredients to be sprinkled on top of the creamy sauce. Instead of a plain white sauce, a cheese sauce may be one of the tasty crepe ingredients to top meat, vegetable and/or cheese filled crepes.
Grated lemon or lime peel, or zest, may be added to dessert crepe ingredients to maximize the taste appeal. Cinnamon or chocolate are also popular additions to dessert crepes. Since both dessert and savory crepes are typically served warm, placing chocolate chips or chunks into the cooked pancakes before rolling them up can make a deliciously melted, sweet filling. Toppings for chocolate and other dessert crepes include whipped cream, powdered sugar, ice cream, chocolate or caramel sauce and chopped nuts.