Crêpes Suzette
Here's how to make classic Crêpes Suzette! There's buttery French crêpes, a rich, caramelised orange sauce & creamy vanilla ice cream.
Servings: 9 Crêpes
Equipment
- Jug Blender
- Large Frying Pans
- Spatula
- Microplane/Grater
- Juicer
Ingredients
Crêpes
- 25 g Unsalted Butter Plus Extra For Cooking
- 130 g Plain Flour
- 15 g Caster Sugar
- 280 g Whole Milk
- 2 Large Eggs
- A Pinch Of Table Salt
Orange Sauce
- 100 g Unsalted Butter Diced
- 175 g Caster Sugar
- 160 ml Orange Juice Roughly 2 Large Oranges
- 40 ml Lemon Juice
- 1 Orange, Zested
- 60 ml Cointreau/Grand Marnier
To Serve
- 2 Oranges, Segmented
- Vanilla Ice Cream
Instructions
Crêpes
- Melt the 25 grams of butter then place into a jug blender along with the flour, sugar, milk, eggs & salt.If you haven't got a jug blender, use a stick blender or a whisk to bring the batter together.
- Blend the batter on a medium speed for 10-20 seconds, until smooth then set aside to rest for 15 minutes.The batter can also be rested overnight in the fridge. Make sure not to add in the salt until just before cooking.
- Place a 10" frying pan/skillet over a medium heat then once hot, grease with a small amount of butter or oil.Use a pastry brush or a piece of kitchen paper to grease the pan!
- Next, add a small ladle full (roughly 4 tbsp/60 ml) of batter into the pan then tilt so that the batter completely covers the bottom, in a thin, even layer.
- Cook the crêpe for 30-40 seconds, until the bottom is lightly browned & the top looks dry then flip over with a spatula & cook for another 30 seconds.If the edges of the crêpe need releasing from the pan, use a small palette knife.
- Once cooked, transfer the crêpe to a plate to keep warm, then repeat with the remaining batter.
Orange Sauce
- Place the butter & sugar into a large frying pan then set over a medium heat.
- Cook the butter & sugar for 3-4 minutes, until it turns a deep golden brown then whisk in the orange & lemon juice. Try not to stir the butter & sugar too much whilst it is caramelising!
- Reduce the sauce for 2-3 minutes, until syrupy then stir in the Grand Marnier/Cointreau & orange zest. Cook for 2 minutes more then take the sauce off the heat.If you like, you can flambé the sauce by setting the alcohol alight then taking the sauce off the heat as soon as the flames have gone.
To Serve
- Lay a crêpe in the sauce then carefully fold in half then half again (to form a triangle) then transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining crêpes, placing 2 or 3 crêpes on each plate.
- Spoon any remaining sauce over each plate then finish each portion with some orange segments & a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
1. Cooking On An Aga - Cook the pancakes on the boiling plate. If your pan gets too hot, move over to the simmering plate. Use the boiling plate to cook the orange sauce as well then use the simmering plate to keep it warm/reheat if necessary.
2. Resting The Batter – I like to give my crêpe batter a short (15 minute) rest before cooking but feel free to skip this if you’d prefer. The crêpes will still taste great! Alternatively, you can make the batter & rest it in the fridge overnight before cooking. If you do this, make sure not to add the salt until just before cooking & let the batter sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. If the batter is a bit thick after resting, thin it out with a splash of cold water (it should be the consistency of pouring cream).
3. Milk – I find that whole milk works best for the batter but semi skimmed will also work.
4. Blender – Using a jug blender is a quick & easy way to make crêpe batter. If you haven’t got one, you can use a stick blender instead. Or you can whisk the ingredients together by hand.
5. Alcohol - Either Grand Marnier or Cointreau will work for the orange sauce. If you'd prefer to keep it alcohol free, use extra orange juice.
6. Ice Cream - If you haven't got any ice cream, some whipped cream will work as well. Or serve the crêpes with just the sauce!
7. Making In Advance - This dish is best served straight away but the crêpes be cooked in advance. You can use the sauce to reheat them!