Crêpes suzette
Crêpes Suzette is a dessert consisting of sweet crêpes with beurre Suzette, a sauce of caramelized sugar and butter, orange juice, zest, and Grand Marnier, triple sec or orange Curaçao liqueur on top, then flambéed tableside. In 1895, French restaurateur Henri Charpentier was a 14-year-old waiter at Café de Paris in Monte Carlo. One legend states he accidentally set a boozy sauce aflame when serving dessert to the Prince of Wales. Once the fire subsided, the sauce was so delicious that the prince asked that the dish be named for a young girl in his entourage, Suzette. Traditionally, Crêpes Suzette is flambéed table side for the wow-factor!
- Serves
- 4
Directions
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For the crêpes: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth. Let sit for several hours in the refrigerator, as long as 2 or 3 days. Bring up to room temperature when ready to cook.
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Heat a lightly oiled crêpe pan or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Lift the hot pan from the heat and pour or scoop the batter onto the pan, using approximately 1/4 - 1/3 cup for each crêpe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface as evenly as possible, allowing some batter to climb up the sides of the pan.
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Cook the first crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side for about 30 seconds. The subsequent crêpes should cook quicker (in about a minute) as the pan remains hot. Manage the butter, as not to brown or burn it, but make sure the pan has a little oil each pour. Place the crepes on a plate, covered with foil to keep them warm.
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For the sauce
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In a skillet, melt the butter and sugar together until the sugar is fully incorporated. Add the orange juice and let simmer until juice is reduced to about a third of its volume. Slide the crêpes into the skillet and use a spoon to baste them with the orange sauce.
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Add the Grand Marnier and turn up the heat until you see fumes. Add cognac, ignite the fumes using a long-handled lighter or swirl over the burner to catch the flames. You are setting the fumes on fire- and not the alcohol itself, so it is important to see fumes swirling above the skillet when igniting.
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Tilt the skillet away from you and gently shake the pan until the flames subside. Serve right away.
From Shawnie's class “Modern Parisian Bistro” (also taught in A Taste of the Mediterranean, French Crêpes Three Ways: Sweet, Savory, and Suzette)
