Crêpes Suzette

All types of pancakes made just before serving are superior to those prepared in advance, which generally fall flat. However, I find that this batter, which is richer than most crêpe batters, allows one to cook pancakes that will retain their light, springy texture even when cooked 3 to 4 hours before serving. Both the crêpe batter and the orange butter can be prepared a day ahead or several hours in advance, and the pancakes can be made in the afternoon. All that remains to be done at dinner time to complete this very special dessert is to reheat the crêpes in the orange butter; and this can be done in a chafing dish at the table, if you like.

Crêpe Batter

• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 2 whole eggs plus 2 yolks

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 cup milk

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoon melted butter

• 2 teaspoons curaçao

1. To make the batter, first sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Add the eggs and yolks and enough cream to make a smooth paste. Stir in the sugar, melted butter, and curaçao and mix well. Add the remaining cream, blend, and then refrigerate the batter from 3 hours to overnight.

Orange Butter

• 1 stick butter

• 5 tablespoons superfine sugar

• Grated rind of 2 tangerines or oranges

• ½ teaspoon lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons fresh tangerine or orange juice

• ½ teaspoon curaçao

1. To prepare the orange butter, place the softened butter with the sugar and the grated rind in a small bowl. Add the juice and curaçao. Cream the ingredients together with the back of a spoon until they are well blended. Because oranges vary in flavor during different seasons, taste the batter to see if it has enough zest. If it seems lacking in flavor, add a few drops of orange bitters or a little more grated rind. Cover the bowl well and keep in the refrigerator.

2. To cook the crêpes, use a 4” or 5” crêpe pan (this recipe will make 24 five-inch crêpes). Heat the pan until it is hot and rub over sweet butter or oil. One greasing is usually enough.

3. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of batter into the center of the pan and quickly tilt the pan around to cover the bottom. Cook the pancakes over a medium flame. Turn them over when the surface appears dry, or after about 10 seconds (these crêpes will brown much faster than those on page 110).

4. As they will also cook in the sauce, cook them for only 3 to 5 seconds on the second side, and then turn them out onto a cookie sheet.

5. To turn a pancake, lift the pan off the burner, tilting it so that it is almost vertical. Using a short straight spatula, loosen the crêpe around the top edge until it begins to fall away from the pan. Lift it up with the spatula or with your fingertips and carefully turn over. If it falls unevenly into the pan, just lift it up and lay it straight.

6. As the pancakes cool slightly on the cookie sheet, you can place them in stacks; they won’t stick together. When all the pancakes have been made, cover the stacks lightly with waxed paper to keep them from drying out.

7. Just before serving, heat a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet and place in about 3 tablespoons of the orange butter. You don’t want the crêpes swimming in butter; the edges should be crisp. Add more butter as it is needed. Tilt the pan back and forth to spread the butter over the whole surface of the pan until it is bubbling. Quickly put in 4 crêpes with the lighter side face down. After a few seconds, turn them over, using a small spatula and the back of a serving spoon. As soon as you turn them, begin folding them—first in half, then in quarters. As they are folded into quarters, stack them on one side of the pan.

For Flaming

• 1 liqueur glass of curaçao

• 1 liqueur glass of high-proof Jamaican rum or brandy

1. Warm the curaçao and rum or brandy over low heat. When all the crêpes have been folded, sprinkle with the heated curaçao and the rum or brandy. Set alight and serve the crêpes as soon as the flame dies down.