My recipe for traditional buckwheat galette batter

Preparing the galette batter dough dough is an easy task. We are even wondering if we need a recipe! Here is what I advise you to get a dozen galettes of 40 cm in diameter.

PREP

15 minutes (washing up excluded)

EQUIPMENT

  • 1 mixer with the whisk attachment

INGREDIENTS

  • 500g (4 cups) buckwheat flour
  • 1,25l (5,28 cups) water
  • 10g (1 tbsp) Coarse salt

DIRECTIONS

  • 1/ Pour 62 cl (2,62 cups) of water and the salt into the mixer bowl
  • 2/ Start the mixer at medium speed and gradually add the flour (keep cool: buckwheat flour does not lump)
  • 3/ Beat for at least 10 minutes and then turn off the food processor. It is important to beat for a long time in order to incorporate the air into the batter
  • 4/ Pour 3 cl (0,12 cup) of water onto the surface of the batter without mixing (this water prevents a crust from forming during the resting phase). This mixture is called a "dough piece" (a "pâton" in French).
  • 5/ Leave your batter to rest for a minimum of 6 hours. My tips for shortening this resting time
  • 6/ Add the remaining water (60cl = 2.53 cups) before cooking the dough.

WHY DO MANY RECIPES ADD OTHER INGREDIENTS?

There are many ways of making galettes: you only have to compare recipes in cookbooks, on the internet or on flour packets to see how true this is.

So for you, I sacrificed myself for a day to compare the recipes I found. Who do we thank?

I didn't change 2 essential rules which are not worth changing: resting for a minimum of 6 hours and baking at 230/250° C (450/500° F). For the rest:

Use milk instead of water

This is effective for obtaining a nice "caramel" colour. The right proportion is half water/half milk. No other consequences.

Add eggs

This is useful for spreading as the spreader slides much more easily. Use 2 eggs per kg (8 cups) of flour. The taste of the crepe remains unchanged.

Add honey

One to two tablespoons of honey accelerate the fermentation process and gives a nice colour.

Add oil

I don't see any benefit. The batter is more viscous and may even become "pasty".

Mixing wheat flour with buckwheat

I tried 75% buckwheat/25% wheat. The difference is obvious: the cells are small, the galette is soft and elastic, the buckwheat taste is less pronounced and its lighter in colour. Basically, everything that makes buckwheat interesting is removed... but the spreading is easier.

Increase the amount of water

We are always afraid of diluting buckwheat too much because we tell ourselves (rightly!) that we won't be able to go back. However, the secret of the large cells lies in the fact that the water in the batter suddenly boils when it touches the hot griddle. The bubbles are caught, burst and the cells remain. A generous dilution is reserved for experienced crepe makers, as you need to work quickly and precisely.

On this page you can find out how to cook galettes with a professional crepe maker

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