Crêpes Suzette (French)

In restaurants, Crêpes Suzette is prepared tableside in a chafing dish in full view of the guests. They are served with a sauce of sugar, orange juice, and liqueur (usually Grand Marnier). Brandy is poured over the crêpes and then flambéed before being plated. Crêpes Suzette were made famous in elegant Parisian restaurants at the turn of the twentieth century and have become standard French dessert fare ever since. There is a story that in 1895 they were accidentally created by a 14 year old assistant waiter (Henri Carpentier, Maitre at Monte Carlo's Café de Paris) who was preparing a dessert for the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII and then named the dish "Crêpes Princesse" for the prince's companion. The prince insisted the name be changed to Suzette for his dining companion. Nevertheless, they are dramatic and utterly delicious.

Orange Butter:
1 orange, freshly juiced and zested
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar

Crêpe Batter:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. kosher or sea salt
4 eggs
1¾ cups milk
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Sauce:
6 Tbsp. brandy
3 Tbsp. Grand Marnier

Garnish:
thin strips orange zest

For the Orange Butter:
Grate the zest from the orange. Cut the orange in half and extract the juice. In a food processor, combine the orange zest, butter and sugar and process until completely blended. With the motor running, slowly add the orange juice and process again until blended. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

For the Batter:
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Gradually whisk in the flour mixture to make a thin, lump-free batter. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

For the Crêpes:
Stir the batter; it should be the consistency of heavy cream. If it is too thick, thin with a little more milk.

Heat a 12" crêpe pan or non-stick fry pan over medium heat until hot. Add 1 tsp. of the unsalted butter and tilt the pan to coat the bottom with the butter as it melts.

Ladle about ¼ cup of the batter into the pan, quickly tilting and swirling the pan to coat the bottom with the batter. Pour any excess batter back into the bowl. Cook until the edges are dry and separate slightly from the pan, 30-45 seconds. Using a spatula, turn the crêpe over and cook for just a few seconds. Transfer to a warmed plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter to the pan as needed. You should have 12 crêpes.

For the Sauce:
In a fry pan over medium-high heat, melt 4 Tbsp. of the orange butter and add 4 crêpes to the pan. Using 2 forks, turn the crêpes in the butter to coat, then fold each into fourths and nestle them in the pan. Add 2 Tbsp. of the brandy and 1 Tbsp. of the Grand Marnier. Remove from the heat.

Using a long-handled match, ignite the brandy and stir the crêpes in the sauce until the flames subside. Transfer to individual plates. Repeat the process in 2 more batches.

Serve immediately, garnished with the orange zest strips.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Make Ahead: Simply make the batter and store it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days. When ready to make, stir the batter first before frying. It should have the same consistency as heavy cream. If you think it's too thick, thin it out with a little more milk. On the other hand, if the batter seems too thin, whisk in 1-2 Tbsp. of flour.