Recipe: How to make classic French crêpes at home

Sourcing the best ingredients from around the world and then cooking them to perfection, Oceania Cruises’ talented chefs are known for serving the finest cuisine at sea.

Guests aboard the line’s six luxurious ships can sail from one dazzling destination to the next, enjoying culinary experiences created by world-renowned Master Chef Jacques Pépin, all prepared to a standard that’s equal to any Michelin-starred restaurant ashore.

Any budding chefs aboard Oceania’s Marina or Riviera can also learn to cook like a pro at the ship’s popular Culinary Center.

Here, each dish is prepared by you – but with professional chef-instructors to fine-tune your technique, you can spend an enjoyable day learning how to make fresh pasta or mastering the secrets of traditional French cuisine.

Never content to rest on its laurels, Oceania Cruises is now introducing OceaniaNEXT, an ambitious development programme that aims to elevate the entire guest experience.

When it comes to cuisine, that means you’ll be able to enjoy even more fabulous flavours and culinary experiences – from dozens of new dishes at The Grand Dining Room and Toscana to a tasty Sunday Brunch and the addition of internationally inspired poke bowls at Waves Grill.

Foodies are in for a special treat on shore, too. At selected ports, the line’s popular Culinary Discovery Tours offer guests the chance to accompany chef- instructors while shopping for fresh ingredients at local markets. You can also experience authentic regional dishes in private homes and special chef-selected restaurants.

Then there are Oceania’s immersive Go Local tours, which offer the chance to make golden memories with a range of shoreside experiences – including spending the day with a shepherd in the Basque countryside, fishing with locals in Portofino or joining a painting class with an Irish artist in Waterford.

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This unique mixture of luxurious onboard and onshore experiences is the essence of Oceania Cruises’ ‘Life Difference’ – something you can experience for yourself with the line’s incredible itineraries featuring more than 450 destinations. Many voyages feature overnight visits and extended evening port stays, too, so you can really make the most of the amazing places you visit.

‘The opportunity to enjoy new experiences is a key part of travelling, and we believe that this includes the chance to sample new places, different foods and become immersed in other cultures,’ says Bernard Carter, Oceania Cruises’ senior vice president and European MD.

‘Through our carefully curated menus, tours and itineraries, our guests are able to see, smell and taste all the different corners of the world.’

To enjoy the taste of an Oceania cruise at home, try this classic crêpes recipe, a deliciously sweet French-style alternative dessert for Pancake Day.

Classic French crêpes

Serves 4

Originating in Brittany, crêpes are thinner and crisper than the pancakes traditionally served on Shrove Tuesday in the UK. And despite their sophisticated taste, they’re delightfully easy to make.

Ingredients

• 235ml whole milk
• 3 medium-sized eggs, room temperature • 50g sugar
• 150g plain flour
• 2 tablespoons clarified butter
• Mixed berries to garnish
• Caster sugar to garnish

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Directions

For the crêpe batter

1 In a blender on low speed, mix the milk, eggs, sugar and flour until the batter is just blended, about 1 minute.

Allow the batter to rest for at least 2 hours, or overnight in the fridge.

2 Before cooking, bring the batter up to room temperature and check that its consistency resembles single cream, adding a little water if necessary.

To cook the crêpes

1 Over a medium-high heat, melt just enough clarified butter to coat a 25cm sauté pan. Holding the pan handle in your stronger hand, swirl and pour in enough batter to just coat the base.

2 Return the pan to the heat and allow the crêpe to set, about 1 minute.

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3 Flip the crêpe to cook the other side. Slide the crêpe out of pan, set it aside and repeat with the remainder of the batter.

4 Fold crêpes in quarters, garnish with berries and sprinkle caster sugar on top.