Andrew Greenan, Head Chef of The Honours Glasgow, offers us his perfect recipe for a posh alternative on Pancake Day: crêpe suzette.
This is probably the most famous crêpe dish in the world. In a restaurant, a crêpe 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 14-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 his words: '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 flavours I had ever tasted.'
How right Henri was, because not only this is the most famous crêpe dish in the world but also the most impressive to serve at the table.
Crêpe suzette - serves four
For the batter:
- 3 eggs, beaten lightly
- 30g butter, melted
- 100g plain flour
- 250g full fat milk
- Pinch of salt
- Sieve together the flour and salt.
- Whisk the eggs into the flour to form a tight batter.
- Slowly add the milk and melted butter while mixing.
- Strain this batter through a fine mesh sieve into a glass bowl.
- Cover with cling film and allow to rest in the fridge for two hours before use.
- Lightly oil a non-stick frying or crepe pan and place on a gentle heat.
- Add a small ladle of batter to the pan and roll it around to give a very thin coating on the whole base.
- Allow this to cook gently until just done and carefully lift out onto greaseproof paper. Continue this process until you have enough crepes (about three per portion). Store in a warm oven while preparing the sauce.
The sauce and serving:
- 150g castor sugar
- 75ml Grand Marnier
- Juice of 3 large oranges and zest from 1
- 100g un-salted butter
Heat the sugar in a small frying pan so that it starts to melt, pour in the Grand Mariner and light it so the alcohol burns off. Next, add the orange juice and boil the sauce for 30-60 seconds. Whisk in the butter, a little at a time, then finish the sauce with the grated orange zest. The sauce when done should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove the dish of warm crepes from the oven and arrange the orange segments on the top. Warm the sauce and pour over the top of the crepes and serve immediately.
Those diners ordering a two course meal (lunch or dinner) can expect a complimentary crêpe suzette at The Honours Glasgow on Shrove Tuesday.