Crêpes Suzette, Traditional Recipe

Method16 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Mix all 250 g flour, 50 g batter sugar and 5 g salt. Beat the 3 eggs and gradually work them into the dry mixture.

   Uses 250 g flour · 50 g batter sugar · 5 g salt · 3 eggs

2. 2

   Step 2: Gently melt the 25 g batter butter and let it cool enough not to cook the eggs, then whisk it into the egg and flour mixture.

   Uses All the egg and flour mixture from step 1 · 25 g batter butter

3. 3

   Step 3: Gradually whisk all ½ l milk and 5 cl batter liqueur into the mixture until smooth and free of lumps. Keep the batter covered in the refrigerator while preparing the orange butter and zest.

   Uses All the mixture from step 2 · ½ l milk · 5 cl batter liqueur

4. 4

   Step 4: Wash the first orange. Whisk the 100 g softened butter with the 50 g orange-butter sugar until creamy, then finely grate in that orange’s zest, avoiding the white pith. Reserve the zested orange for the next step.

   Uses 100 g softened butter for the orange butter · 50 g orange-butter sugar · The first of the 2 oranges · Water to wash the first orange, discarded

5. 5

   Step 5: Squeeze half of the zested first orange and measure 2 tbsp of its juice. Mix those 2 tbsp into the orange butter until smooth; reserve any unused fruit or juice separately.

   Uses The creamed orange butter from step 4 · Half of the zested first orange from step 4 for squeezing

6. 6

   Step 6: Cover the orange butter and refrigerate it until needed for the cooked crêpes.

   Uses All the mixed orange butter from step 5

7. 7

   Step 7: Wash the second orange. Remove thin strips of zest, avoiding the white pith, and cut them into fine strips. Reserve the unused orange flesh separately.

   Uses The second of the 2 oranges · Water to wash the second orange, discarded

8. 8

   Step 8: Cover the zest strips with cold water in a small saucepan, bring to the boil, then drain. Weigh the drained blanched zest to determine the matching candying-sugar weight.

   Uses All the thin zest strips prepared in step 7 · Cold water just to cover the zest for blanching, discarded

9. 9

   Step 9: Put the weighed blanched zest into a small saucepan with the same weight of candying sugar and a little fresh water. Cook over medium heat until the water reduces to a light syrup and the zest is candied. Reserve for filling the crêpes.

   Uses All the weighed drained zest from step 8 · Candying sugar equal to the weighed blanched zest · A little fresh water for the candying syrup

10. 10

    Step 10: Preheat the oven to 100°C for keeping filled crêpes warm while cooking the batch.

11. 11

    Step 11: Heat a crêpe pan over medium heat and grease it lightly with a small knob of the separate pan butter. Stir the batter, pour in a ladleful and tilt the pan to spread a thin layer.

    Uses A ladleful of batter from step 3 for the first crêpe · A small knob of pan butter

12. 12

    Step 12: Cook the first face for 1–2 minutes, checking from 1 minute, until lightly browned and the edge releases for turning.

    Turn the crêpe · 1 minUses The first thin crêpe poured in step 11

13. 13

    Step 13: Flip the crêpe and cook the second face for 1–2 minutes, checking from 1 minute, until lightly browned and cooked through.

    Check the second face · 1 minUses The crêpe ready to turn from step 12

14. 14

    Step 14: Spread a small knob of orange butter over half of the cooked crêpe and add a little candied zest. Fold into a quarter and put a little more orange butter on top.

    Uses The cooked crêpe from step 13 · A small knob of orange butter from step 6 for this crêpe, plus a little for topping · Some candied zest from step 9 for this crêpe

15. 15

    Step 15: Keep the filled crêpe in the 100°C oven just while cooking the remaining batch. Repeat steps 11–14 with all the remaining batter, greasing the pan lightly again only as needed and sharing the orange butter and candied zest among the crêpes. About twelve crêpes is the author’s guide; serve promptly once the batch is ready.

    Uses The filled crêpe from step 14 · The remaining batter from step 3 for repeated crêpes · Remaining orange butter from step 6 for repeated filling · Remaining candied zest from step 9 for repeated filling · A little additional pan butter only as needed

16. 16

    Step 16: Serve the crêpes hot once the orange butter has melted. If desired, add a few drops of the separate serving liqueur. This traditional orange-butter finish is not flambéed.

    Uses All the completed crêpes from step 15 · A few drops of serving liqueur, optional