The purpose of this study is to understand and describe the mechanisms occurring during the baking of a French crepe product with a focus on the impact of the baking temperature on the formation of the "leopard" appearance. A French crepe is a very thin bakery product (ca. 0.7 mm thick), which is baked in less than 20 s at 240 degrees C +/- 20 degrees C in industrial conditions. Different microscopic techniques were used to understand the impact of the process parameters on the crepe structure and the formation of the "fleur". Crepe baking is a very rapid process during which boiling occurs at selected locations of the crepe surface contact zone. The onset of boiling leads to the detachment of the crepe batter from the baking surface: it is related to the balance between the resistance of the batter undergoing the baking transition and the vapor pressure inside the blister formed between the baking surface and the crepe. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd.