Sunday Kitchen: Baking star Alby Hailes + IPA crepes with broccolini, whipped feta and burnt lemon maple syrup recipe

Alby Hailes says crepes are an excellent option for Sunday brunch. Photo / Supplied

Dunedin-based Alby Hailes has always been a keen cook, going so far as to self-publish his own cookbook of affordable student eats collated during his time at medical school. His culinary talents were acknowledged in 2021 when he was crowned winner of the Great Kiwi Bake Off. Now Alby is dedicated to a food career and on his website you’ll find a bespoke cake business and recipes highlighting global flavours, seasonal produce and a focus on how cooking can improve mental health. See albyhailes.com.

What does Sunday look like in your kitchen?

Sunday in my kitchen can be very dependent on what happened the night before, but almost without fail, there’s a respectable attempt made to pull together a Sunday brunch. It’s one of my absolute favourite meals, the perfect time to connect and reflect on the week that’s been. For my partner, Alex, and me, over the years making pancakes on Sunday has become somewhat of a ritual. We tend to go for fluffy American-style stacks (my tip for fluffy pancakes is to always separate your eggs, whip the whites to stiff peaks, then fold in at the end), but crepes are an excellent option too, such as the recipe I share here.

Why did you choose this dish?

When we think of pancakes or crepes, most of our brains are wired to associate this with sweet fillings. But they are also an excellent base for a filling and wholesome savoury breakfast. This dish is Sunday brunch at its best: light and earthy buckwheat crepes with a secret ingredient, IPA beer (hair of the dog perhaps), which amps up the flavour, accompanied by creamy whipped feta; charred broccolini quick-roasted with lemon and garlic; and an irresistibly delicious burnt lemon maple syrup, spiked with a touch of thyme and chilli to bring it some lift. While there are a few components, it’s remarkably simple to make, and as a bonus, it’s easily made gluten-free by using GF beer.

Photo / Linda Robertson

IPA crepes with broccolini, whipped feta and burnt lemon maple syrup

Serves 4, makes 8-10 crepes

IPA crepes

125g buckwheat flour

½ tsp sea salt

2 eggs

330ml can IPA beer (gluten-free if desired)

Butter, for frying

30g sliced almonds, lightly toasted, to serve

Chopped fresh thyme, to serve

Burnt lemon maple syrup

3 lemons, halved

150ml maple syrup

1½ Tbsp chopped thyme

½ tsp chilli flakes

Whipped feta

150g feta, finely crumbled

150g unsweetened Greek yoghurt

2 tsp sumac

½ tsp cracked black pepper

Charred broccolini

400g broccolini

1 lemon, finely grated zest and juice

4 cloves garlic, finely grated

3 Tbsp olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 200C fan-forced (or 220C conventional). Line a large roasting dish with baking paper.

2. First make the crepe batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour and salt. Make a well in the centre, add the eggs and half the beer, and whisk together. Gradually pour in the remaining beer, whisking until a very smooth, thin batter is reached. Set aside for 40 minutes to rest while you prepare the remaining components.

3. For the burnt lemon maple syrup: Place a small frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the six lemon halves to the pan, cut-side down, and grill for 4 minutes without moving, until the lemon flesh is burnt and sticky underneath. Remove the lemon halves from the pan and set aside until cool enough to handle. Squeeze the juice from all the lemon halves into the pan, and scrape in any remaining roasted flesh from the middle, avoiding any seeds, membrane or pith.

4. Add the maple syrup, thyme and chilli flakes to the pan, stir into the lemon, and place over medium heat. Bring to the boil and cook for about 3 minutes, until reduced a little to a delicious syrup-like consistency (the syrup will thicken further as it cools). Pour into a serving jug or bowl and set aside to cool.

5. For the whipped feta: In a small bowl, mash the feta with a fork to form a smooth-ish paste. Stir through the yoghurt, sumac and black pepper and whisk with a fork until whipped. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

6. For the broccolini: Place the broccolini in the lined roasting dish and add the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil, tossing through the broccolini with your hands to evenly coat. Arrange in a single layer and season with a little salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes until the broccolini is just tender and starting to char a little.

7. While the broccolini is roasting, cook your crepes. Gently whisk the rested crepe batter to loosen. Place a medium 20-24cm frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a teaspoon of butter to the pan, moving the butter around to coat the pan evenly. Once hot, add 50ml (just less than ¼ cup) of the batter to the pan, quickly swirling the pan to coat the base evenly and form a thin crepe. Cook for about 60 seconds, until the underside is golden at the edges, then flip with a spatula or palette knife. Cook for a further 30-60 seconds, until nicely browned on both sides. Fold into quarters, if desired, transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the pan with 1 tsp butter between each crepe and lowering the heat to medium, if the pan gets too hot. Stack the cooked crepes on top of each other and cover to keep warm.

8. To serve, divide the warm crepes between four plates, then top each with the whipped feta and broccolini. Drizzle over the burnt lemon maple syrup and finish with the toasted almonds and a sprinkling of chopped thyme.