Crêpes Suzette
Photo:
Crêpes Suzette is the grand showstopper of the French pancake world: thin, delicate crêpes bathed in a buttery orange sauce spiked with Grand Marnier, then flambéed tableside with a theatrical whomp of blue flame. There's a disputed urban legend about the creation of this dish, as told by the man himself who claims to have invented it. In Monte Carlo in 1895, chef Henri Charpentier accidentally set the sauce on fire while preparing crêpes for the Prince of Wales. The prince was reportedly delighted, and he requested the dish be named after a young woman in the dining party.
The crêpes themselves are classic: thin and lacy, with just a little richness from butter and eggs. The sauce is what distinguishes this from a regular crêpe: orange zest, fresh juice, butter, and a healthy pour of orange liqueur, reduced until glossy and slightly syrupy. The flambé is theatrical and burns off some of the alcohol.
Crêpes Suzette Recipe
Ingredients (Serves 4)
For the crêpes
- All-purpose flour – 125g
- Eggs – 2 large
- Milk – 300ml
- Butter – 20g, melted, plus extra for the pan
- Salt – a pinch
- Sugar – 1 teaspoon
For the Suzette sauce
- Unsalted butter – 80g
- Caster sugar – 60g
- Orange zest – from 1 large orange
- Orange juice – 150ml (about 2 oranges)
- Grand Marnier or Cointreau – 60ml, divided
Instructions
Make the crêpe batter
- Whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar. Make a well in the centre, add the eggs, and whisk from the middle outward.
- Gradually add the milk, whisking until you have a smooth, thin batter. Stir in the melted butter.
- Let the batter rest for at least 30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and makes for more tender crêpes.
Cook the crêpes
- Heat a 20–22cm non-stick pan over medium-high heat and brush lightly with butter.
- Pour in a small ladleful of batter and immediately swirl the pan to coat thinly. Cook for about 1 minute until the edges begin to lift and the underside is pale gold.
- Flip and cook for another 30 seconds. Stack the finished crêpes on a plate. You should get about 12.
Make the Suzette sauce
- In a wide pan (ideally one you can serve from), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sugar and stir until it begins to dissolve and turn lightly golden.
- Add the orange zest and pour in the orange juice. Let it bubble and reduce for 2–3 minutes until the sauce is slightly syrupy.
- Add half the Grand Marnier and stir to combine.
Fold and flambé
- Place a crêpe in the sauce, fold it in half, then in half again to form a triangle. Push it to the side of the pan and repeat with each crêpe. They'll overlap and soak up the sauce as you go.
- When all the crêpes are in, pour the remaining Grand Marnier over the top. Tilt the pan to the flame (or use a long match) to ignite. Let the flames die down naturally.
- Serve immediately, spooning extra sauce over each portion.
Serving Suggestions
Serve straight from the pan while still warm, with a spoonful of the glossy orange sauce. A scoop of vanilla ice cream is common, as is extra orange zest on top.
| Name_ | Crêpes Suzette |
|---|---|
| Origin_ | 🇫🇷 France |
| Morphology_ | ⟁ Crepe |
| Flavor_ | sweet |
| Filling_ | none |
| Topping_ | orange butter sauce, Grand Marnier, flambéed |
| Recipe_ | Crêpes Suzette Recipe |
| « All Pancakes_ | |