I adapted the original recipe from the book Life A La Henri – Being The Memories of Henri Charpentier, by Henri Charpentier and Boyden Sparkes.
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. T his 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 (do not 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. Do not worry if the crepe is not 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 (the crepes should be spotted brown with a smooth consistency).
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 begins 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 Flambe. 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.
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.
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.
* Check out Alcohol Substitutions In Cooking.
Crepes Suzette Recipe: https://whatscookingamerica.net/history/crepessuzettehistory.htm