What is a Sweet Omelet?

A sweet omelet is a breakfast or dessert food made primarily from eggs. Somewhat like a crepe or a pancake, a sweet omelet is usually rolled out thinly and covered with fruit, sugar or syrup. Other recipes recommend filling the omelet with toppings during cooking.

Omelets are a French food dating back to at least the 14th century. They consist of an egg batter, sometimes mixed with milk and fried in a frying pan. Traditionally, omelets are either folded into a half-moon shape or rolled into a thin cigar shape. Breakfast omelets tend to be filled with cheese, meats or vegetables. They are a staple on breakfast menus and are usually quite filling.

The sweet omelet is more akin to the crepe or pancake, although it contains no flour or rising ingredients such as baking powder. Some recipes call for a little sugar to be well beaten into the egg mixture. Sweet omelets are far less time consuming than many crepe recipes, which usually recommend leaving the batter out overnight before cooking. This variety of omelet is also useful if you happen to be out of flour, or are on a low-carbohydrate diet.

To make a sweet omelet, whisk three eggs together with one egg white. The extra egg white will help to fluff the batter. You may add a small amount of milk, butter, or cream if you wish to adjust the consistency of the mixture. Whisk a teaspoon or so of fine-grain white sugar, such as baking sugar. Grease a frying pan with butter or cooking oil of your choice.

Heat the frying pan until a drop of water sizzles when it hits the pan. Pour enough of your omelet mixture into the pan to cover the bottom, and swirl the pan for a moment to evenly distribute the batter. When edges are brown, flip the omelet using a spatula or attempt to flip it using only the pan. It is recommended that beginners make extra batter if they are attempting this method, as the omelet will often end up on the floor, ceiling or burner. A key to good omelets is a refusal to panic.

When the sweet omelet is done on both sides, place on a plate and top as desired. Traditional toppings include lemon juice, powdered sugar, and oranges. Feel free to experiment with your favorite fruits and toppings. One delicious sweet omelet recipe calls for toppings of maple syrup, bananas and clotted cream.

To cook the toppings inside the sweet omelet, add them immediately after swirling the batter and fold in a half moon shape so the inside will cook. Because the batter is relatively thin, this cook times will be shorter than a traditional omelet. If you are making multiple sweet omelets, warm your oven and place cooked omelets inside to retain heat. Sweet omelets are a great low-carbohydrate alternative to crepes or heavy pancakes, and the egg batter is an excellent source of protein.