Blood Orange Crepes Suzette

Blood Orange Crepes Suzette

a seasonal take on a French classic recipe

What could be better than crepes on a Sunday morning? Blood orange crepes Suzette, of course 🙂

Life is like a box of blood oranges – you never know what you’re going to get. Sometimes you’ll find those perfect oranges of an unassumingly orange-ish skin, but with a deep, dark red coloured flesh. Those are my favourite. They are sweet and have an intense flavour that take me straight to a sunny Sicilian beach. But not all blood oranges have been created equal. And that’s where the magic is. Is the excitement of opening up the first orange. The joy you feel when you find that perfect red one. Or that delightfully sweet one. Oh, that’s pure  happiness.

But what would you do with a box full of blood oranges? Well, I’ve spent an entire weekend experimenting with various ways of preserving them. First, I made the traditional blood orange marmalade – a two-day long messy operation that requires quite a lot of patience. The I made candied peel and candied orange slices – to be used in all kind of desserts. And for the first time I made a batch of dehydrated orange slices – to be used as garnish for cocktails.

Speaking of desserts. The recipe for blood orange crepes Suzette is just a seasonal take on the retro French dessert that took by storm (or shall I say fire?) Britain’s dining rooms during the 1960’s. In traditional restaurants, crepes Suzette were served at the table, where the waiter would set them on fire to the absolute delight of the diners. Sadly they seem to have fallen completely out of fashion now. I don’t even remember seeing them on the dessert menus in restaurants. But I do make them at home once a year, usually in January when oranges are in full season. And with Shrove Tuesday approaching, I believe you would welcome an idea on how to use those leftover pancakes. That is, if there even is such a thing as leftover pancakes 😀

Pin It!

Blood Orange Crepes Suzette

Ingredients

(for the crepes:)

• 1 egg
• 60 g plain flour
• 110 ml milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp orange zest
• pinch of salt
• 50 g unsalted butter - for frying

(for the sauce:)

• 50 g caster sugar
• 100 g orange juice
• 30 ml Grand Marnier or Cointreau
• 50 g unsalted butter
• 1 tsp orange zest

(for the candied orange slices:)

• 1 l water
• 500 g caster sugar
• 2 oranges sliced

Instructions

(to make the candied orange slices:)

• Bring the water and sugar to a slow simmer. Add the sliced oranges and let them simmer gently until they begin to soften.
• Take the orange slices out on a rack and allow them to cool.

(to make the pancakes:)

• Whisk the eggs, then gradually add the flour and continue whisking until you get a thick batter. Add the milk, vanilla extract, sugar and salt and whisk until you get a thin batter.
• Heat a frying pan and add 1/2 tsp of butter. When the butter has melted, add ladle of batter and swirl until it has covered the surface of the pan. Cook for 1 minute and flip to the other side. Cook for another minute. Repeat with the remaining batter.
• Fold each pancake in 4 and set aside.

(to make the sauce:)

• Place the sugar into a heavy bottom pan and let it melt on low heat until you get a light caramel.
• Take the pan off the heat, add the orange juice and zest, the Grand Marnier and the butter.
• Return the pan to the hob, add the candied orange slices and continue cooking until the sauce begins to thicken.
• At the end, add the folded crepes and continue cooking for another minute.

(to serve:)

• Place two crepes on each plate, add a tablespoon of the sauce and garnish with orange slices.

Andra Constantinescu

I am a classically trained chef, with a BSc in Culinary Arts and a Masters Degree in Food Business Management.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook - Pinterest