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History of Crepes Suzette:
Probably the most famous crepe dish in the world. In a restaurant, a crepe
suzette is often prepared in a chafing dish in full view of the guests. They are served hot with a sauce of sugar, orange juice, and liqueur (usually
Grand Marnier). Brandy is poured over the crepes and then lit. The dish was created out of a mistake made by a fourteen year-old assistant waiter Henri Carpentier (1880-1961)
in 1895 at the Maitre at Monte Carlo's Café de Paris. He was preparing a dessert for the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII (1841-1910) of England.
According to Henri Charpentier, in own words from Life A La Henri – Being The Memories of Henri Charpentier:
“It was
quite by accident as I worked in front of a chafing dish that the
cordials caught fire. I thought I was ruined. The Prince and his friends
were waiting. How could I begin all over? I tasted it. It was, I
thought, the most delicious melody of sweet flavors I had every tasted.
I still think so. That accident of the flame was precisely what was
needed to bring all those various instruments into one harmony of taste
. . . He ate the pancakes with a fork; but he used a spoon to capture
the remaining syrup. He asked me the name of that which he had eaten
with so much relish. I told him it was to be called Crepes Princesse. He
recognized that the pancake controlled the gender and that this was a
compliment designed for him; but he protested with mock ferocity that
there was a lady present. She was alert and rose to her feet and holding
her little shirt wide with her hands she made him a curtsey. ‘Will you,’
said His Majesty, ‘change Crepes Princesse to Crepes Suzette?’ Thus was
born and baptized this confection, one taste of which, I really believe,
would reform a cannibal into a civilized gentleman. The next day I
received a present from the Prince, a jeweled ring, a panama hat and a cane.”
SOURCE: Life A La Henri - Being The Memories of Henri Charpentier,
by Henri Charpentier and Boyden Sparkes, The Modern Library, New York, 2001
Paperback Edition. Originally published in 1934 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Crepes Suzette Recipe
I adapted the original recipe from the book Life A La Henri - Being The Memories of Henri Charpentier, by Henri Charpentier and Boyden Sparkes.
Recipe Type:
Flambe,
Desserts
Cuisine: French
Yields: 4 servings
Prep time: 30 min
Ingredients:
Vanilla Sugar (see recipe below)
Sauce Suzette (see recipe below)
2 tablespoons vanilla sugar (see recipe below)
4
eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose
flour
3 tablespoons milk
1 pinch of salt
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons sweet butter
Thin strips of
orange zest , for garnish
Preparation:
Vanilla Sugar (see below): Prepare the Vanilla Sugar a week before using; store in a
glass container until ready to use.
Crepes Batter: Using an blender or food processor, blend the
eggs, flour, milk, salt, and water to the consistency of olive oil, or until it will pour back silently and smoothly from a foot or more above the
mixing bowl. Place the crepe batter, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to
subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.
Cooking the Crepes: Heat a frying pan,
crepe pan, or
cast iron griddle with 2 tablespoons of sweet butter (don't use too much butter or the crepes will be greasy). Once the
pan is well-heated, pour in enough batter, approximately 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter, to cover the bottom of the pan. Tip the pan
from side to side to spread the batter thinly, and keep it moving. Don't worry if the crepe isn't
perfectly round or has uneven edges, as it will be rolled or folded and the imperfections will not matter. The finished crepe
should be paper thin.
After one minute, turn the pancake upside down, then turn
it again, until it is nicely browned. Fold the crepe in half, and fold again to form a triangle. As the crepes are finished, stack
them one upon the other. Proceed to make the remaining crepes, adding butter to the pan only if the crepes begin
to stick. NOTE: Also, as when making other types of pancakes, expect that you may have to throw away the first
1 or 2 crepes until you get the pan temperature just right.
Storage of Crepes: The crepes may
be made hours ahead of time and kept, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature. Crepes may be frozen for up to 2 months. When using frozen crepes,
thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.
Prepare Sauce Suzette (see below): When the
Sauce Suzette is warm, carefully flame the liqueurs. Check out
How To Flambé. When the fire goes out, add the
prepared Vanilla Sugar mixture. Then plunge the folded crepes/pancakes into the
warm Sauce Suzette. Turn them, and add the remaining 2 ounces of blended
liqueurs. When the fire dies down again, they are ready to serve.
Serving: Garnish with thin strips of orange zest.
Serve
three crepes per portion. Spoon a little of the remaining sauce over each serving.
Makes 4 servings.
Sauce Suzette:
Small piece of
orange Zest, cut very thinly
Small piece of
lemon zest , cut very thinly
1/4 pound unsalted butter
5 ounces of blended favorite liqueurs (curacao, triple sec, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, cognac, kirsch, etc.)*
* Check out
Alcohol Substitutions In Cooking and
Alcohol Substitutions In Cooking.
At least 1 to 2 days before making Crepes suzette, slice a thin piece form
the outer rind of an orange, large enough to cover the ball of your thumb, and a smaller piece of lemon rind. Cut both into thin strips,
add to 2 tablespoons of vanilla sugar, cover, and put away until the sugar absorbs the flavoring oils.
To make the sauce, melt the 1/4 pound of butter in a large frying pan. When it begins to
bubble, pour in 3 ounces of the blended liqueurs and the prepared sugared orange and lemon zest. The Sauce Suzette is now ready to use.
Vanilla Sugar:
Note: Vanilla sugar may also be purchased
2 cups granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean
In a glass container, place the sugar and the vanilla bean, cover the
container tightly. Set mixture aside (the sugar will be sufficiently scented with vanilla to be used in a week or so). Vanilla sugar will
keep indefinitely in an airtight container at room temperature (do not need refrigerate). Replenish sugar as it is used.
The vanilla bean is good as long as it is fragrant.
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Crepes Troubleshooting Tips:
Source:
Crepes: Sweet & Savory for the Home Cook, by Lou Siebert Pappas
Too many bubbles in the batter - If so, the
batter was beaten too long at too high a speed in the
blender or food processor. Let it stand longer before
baking.
Crepes have a lacy pattern - The batter may
be too thin; whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons flour.
Edges of the crepes are crisp with a tendency to crack
- The pan is too hot; decrease the heat. Also the batter
may be too thin; whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons flour.
Small holes appear in the crepes - Use more
batter and completely cover the bottom of the pan.
Batter curdles like scrambled eggs - There is
too much butter or oil in the pan.
Batter will not flow around the bottom of the pan with
ease - The batter is too thick/ whisk in 1 to
2 tablespoons milk or water.
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