Rembrandt Crêpes Suzette

Indulge yourself and impress your friends with a mouth watering bombshell of a dish!

The “divine” ingredients:
100g plain flour
1 tbsp golden caster sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp sunflower oil
300ml semi-skimmed milk
splash of beer , about 2 tbsp (optional)

Le pièce de la résistance! - Finish off with the sweet nectar, that is, the topping:
100g butter
100g golden caster sugar
150ml freshly squeezed orange juice (about 12 large oranges)
2 tsp finely grated orange zest
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
3 tbsp Grand Marnier
2 tbsp cognac

Makes 16-17, 2-3 per person
Preperation and cooking times 10 - 12 mins

Crêpes only: 1 – 3; Crêpes Suzette: 1 – 6

Add flour, sugar and a pinch of salt into a large bowl. Make a crater in the centre, add the eggs, dash of oil and 2 tbsp of the milk. Beat together until smooth. Pour slowly a little milk, mixing as you pour, this is to ensure that the batter stays as smooth as possible. Pour in the rest of the milk, a bit more quickly now, until it looks like single cream. Once complete, add the beer to taste.

Heat a 15cm/6in crêpe pan (any frying pan will do). Measure 21⁄2 tbsp of the batter into a jug, then pour into the pan, moving it around so the mixture swirls and fits the bottom of the pan. When the crêpe is golden underneath (in about 15 seconds if pan is the right temperature), turn and cook for a further 30 seconds, until spotted brown.

Slide the crêpe on to a plate. Wipe the pan with oiled kitchen paper and continue frying until all the batter is used, stacking the crêpes on top of each other as you cook them. This ensures that the crepes retain most of their heat. You can freeze the pancakes at this stage, wrapped in cling film and foil. Or make a day ahead, wrap and keep in the fridge. To reheat, put on an ovenproof plate, cover with foil and warm in a 180C/Gas 4/fan oven 160C for 10-15 minutes. (If using for Crêpes Suzette, warm through in the sauce.)

TO MAKE CRÊPES SUZETTE - Make the crêpes as above. Then follow the instructions below.
The sauce: heat the butter and sugar in a deep frying pan (about 25cm/10in) over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar begins to dissolve; turn up the heat and bubble quite fast, until the mixture just starts to go brown and caramelize (about 4 minutes), stirring only towards the end. Pour in the orange juice; add the orange and lemon zests, letting the mixture bubble for 3-4 minutes to thicken slightly. Add the Grand Marnier and cognac (to taste), heat for a few seconds and lower the heat.

Put one crêpe into the juices and, holding it with a fork, coat it well in the mixture. You may fold your crepe into quarters or roll them up. For the adventurous; you can add fillings to your crêpes such as chocolate sauce, cream, fresh fruits etc. Continue the coating and folding with the remaining pancakes. Serve 2-3 crêpes per person with the sauce.

Per serving; 373 kcalories, protein 6g, carbohydrate 40g, fat 19 g, saturated fat 10g, fibre 1g, salt 0.46 g

Submitted by Michael Tiberghien, Assistant F&B Manager at The Rembrandt