Classic Crepes Suzette
Pop open the bubbly and say cheers to love! With Valentine’s Day just a few weeks away love is in the air and you will fall in love with this special occasion worthy dessert. Classic Crepes Suzette combines a basic crepe recipe with a tangy and sweet flambéed beurre Suzette sauce.
Crepes are such a beautiful canvas for sweet and savory flavors and all sorts of ingredients and fillings. When you start with a Classic Crepes batter, it’s easy to create restaurant worthy dishes like this at home.
Ingredients
All good things start with a little spark, including these flambéed Classic Crepes Suzette. You only need a handful of basic ingredients to create this delicate and elegant dish at home.
- Crepes – This recipe is perfect for using leftover crepes you may have or a great way to dress up Easy Classic Crepes into something truly spectacular. These light, delicate, and airy French pancakes are a beautiful canvas for the sweet and tangy Suzette sauce.
- Sugar – Not much sugar is needed to create this sauce. As the orange juice reduces down the natural sugars in the sunny fruit intensify.
- Butter – Helps create the sauce and add a bit of decadence and richness. Use a good quality sauce for maximum flavor.
- Orange – The star of beurre Suzette! You need both the juice and the zest for this recipe. You can also add orange segments to this French dessert to take it over the top.
- Grand Marnier – The orange flavor of this French liqueur echos the orange juice and zest in the sauce. In addition, it helps create the dramatic flambe at the end.
How to Make Classic Crepes Suzette
Once you have your crepes made, this beurre Suzette comes together in less than 20 minutes. Not only is it delicious but it’s also a show in and of itself.
Time needed: 20 minutes
Delicate crepes are dipped in a orange kissed sauce before being flambéed with Grand Marnier.
- Caramelize
Add the sugar in an even layer into a skillet over medium heat. Allow it to begin to melt and caramelize. If sugar crystals begin to form on the side you can use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush them down.
- Simmer
Add the butter, orange juice, and orange zest to the skillet and stir. Let it simmer until it thickens, about five minutes.
- Dip
Quickly dip a crepe into the sauce, making sure both sides are coated. Fold into a triangle and then repeat with the remaining crepes.
- Flambe
Pour the Grand Marnier into the skillet. Use a kitchen lighter or long match to flambe the sauce. Once it has burned off serve the sauce with the crepes.
Variations
While orange is the traditional citrus for this French classic, you can add a pop of color by using blood oranges in this recipe. Tangerines are also another choice to switch up the flavors. Love the tart tang of grapefruit? Try swapping out the orange in this recipe for fresh grapefruit juice and zest.
Substitutions
Grand Marnier is the classic choice for Crepes Suzette. However, you can use another orange flavored liqueur. Both triple sec and Cointreau are excellent choices. You can also use brandy.
Can Crepe Suzette Be Made Ahead?
The crepes for crepes Suzette can be made a day or two in advance. Keep them covered on a plate in the refrigerator until ready to make. However, the sauce for crepe Suzette needs to be made just before serving. Don’t worry, there won’t be any leftovers!
Top Tips for Classic Crepes Suzette
When it comes to caramelizing your sugar, don’t rush the process. Keep the heat lower and allow the sugar to begin to melt and then turn a golden amber color. If sugar crystals begin forming along the side, use a wet pastry brush to brush them down.
Orange is the star of this recipe. Make sure that you are using freshly squeezed orange juice. You will also need the zest and can add the segments to the sauce as well.
While there is nothing more impress that a flambeed dish, don’t stress if it doesn’t ignite quite like you envisioned. It just means the alcohol already started burning off. When lighting your skillet however, always remove it from the burner if you’re cooking with gas.
Classic Crepes Suzette
Equipment
- 1 skillet
- 1 kitchen lighter or long match
Ingredients
- 4 crepes
- 3 tbsp butter
- Juice and zest of an orange
- 4 oz Grand Marnier
- orange segments can also be added to the sauce
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat.
- Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the bottom. Allow it to melt and begin to caramelize. If sugar crystals begin to form along the side you can use a wet pastry brush to brush them down.
- Add the orange juice, butter, and zest, and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer and reduce to thicken, about 5 minutes.
- Quickly dip a crepe into the sauce making sure both sides are coated. Fold into a triangle.
- Repeat with the remaining crepes.
- Add the Grand Marnier. Use a kitchen lighter or long match to ignite the sauce.
- Serve with the crepes and enjoy!
