Crêpes Suzette

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the batter: sift the plain flour into a large mixing bowl with the fine salt and 30 g of the caster sugar. Make a well, add the eggs and whisk gently while pouring in half the milk to form a smooth paste. Gradually add the remaining milk, whisking to a thin, lump-free batter. Stir in 50 g melted unsalted butter and 15 ml Grand Marnier (optional). Cover and refrigerate to rest for 30 minutes — this relaxes the gluten and makes silkier crêpes.

2. 2

   Cook the crêpes: heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Lightly brush with melted unsalted butter. Pour about 60 ml batter into the centre, tip and swirl to coat the base thinly. Cook the first side for 45–60 seconds until the edge lifts and the base is lightly golden, then flip and cook the second side 20–30 seconds. Repeat to make 8 crêpes (you should get 8–10 depending on thickness), stacking them on a warm plate and wiping the pan between a couple of crêpes if needed.

3. 3

   Make the orange-butter sauce: zest both oranges, then juice them (you should have about 120 ml). In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 80 g unsalted butter with 100 g caster sugar, stirring until it becomes a pale caramel and syrupy (about 3–4 minutes). Add the orange zest and orange juice, then pour in 60 ml Grand Marnier and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened.

4. 4

   Assemble and warm: fold each crêpe into quarters and lay them back in the saucepan, two or three at a time, spooning sauce over them so they soak up the glaze. Warm gently for 1–2 minutes per batch so the sauce penetrates.

5. 5

   Flambé (optional but classic): warm the brandy (30 ml) briefly in a heatproof ladle or small measuring jug — do not boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat, tilt it slightly and carefully ignite the warmed brandy with a long match or kitchen lighter, or pour the brandy over the crêpes and ignite. Allow flames to subside naturally (about 20–30 seconds). Return to the hob for a few seconds if you want to reduce the sauce slightly, then spoon the glossy sauce and crêpes onto warmed plates and serve immediately with a little extra orange zest.

Tips

• For the smoothest batter, blitz the wet and dry ingredients in a blender for 10–15 seconds, then rest; alternatively whisk vigorously to remove lumps.
• If your batter seems too thick after resting, thin with a little milk 15–30 ml at a time until it pours easily.
• Cook the first crêpe as a tester and adjust pan heat and batter volume; often the first crêpe is a learning curve.
• If you prefer not to flambé, heat the brandy and stir it into the sauce off the heat for the alcoholic flavour without the flames.
• Make crêpes ahead: stack with baking paper between, keep in the fridge for 24 hours or freeze flat for up to 1 month; rewarm gently in a pan with a knob of butter and a spoonful of sauce.

Substitutions

• Grand Marnier → Cointreau, same quantity (75 ml total; 15 ml in batter optional, 60 ml for sauce)

  Stays close

• brandy → dark rum, same quantity for flambé

  Noticeably different

• plain flour → gluten-free plain flour blend, same weight

  Stays close

• unsalted butter → salted butter, reduce added salt slightly

  Noticeably different

Nutrition

Per serving · estimated

830

Calories

17 g

Protein

86 g

Carbs

46 g

Fat

2 g

Fibre

35 g

Sugar

280 mg

Sodium

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