Irresistible Crepes Suzette!

This is a wonderful finale to a dinner! It is rich and fattening and grandly over-the-top. It's irresistible. I am tempted to call it "the definitive Crepes Suzette recipe"! Make the crepes the previous day if you like, interleaving with wax paper. But put them in a warming oven before you make the sauce. This is the real, flaming showpiece! The recipe can easily be halved. Prep. and cooking times are guesses, as I've always been too involved with guests to time it.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Basic crepes mixture

• 8  ounces flour
• 1  tablespoon  superfine sugar (caster sugar)
• 3  eggs
• 3⁄4 pint milk
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2  tablespoons  melted butter (or oil)
• 2  tablespoons cognac (or brandy or rum)

• Suzette sauce

• 1⁄2 lb butter
• 4  ounces confectioners' sugar (icing sugar)
• 2  tablespoons lemon zest, finely grated
• 2  oranges, zest of (grate finely)
• 2  oranges, juice of
• 2⁄3 cup Cointreau liqueur (or use Grand Marnier, Curacao or Van der Hum)
• 1⁄2 cup cognac (or good brandy)

Directions

1. Make the crêpes by hand with a whisk, or simply throw everything a food processor.
2. By hand: beat eggs and add to dry ingredients. Mix in the milk, butter and cognac gradually to avoid lumps. Strain through a fine sieve.
3. If using a blender or processor, and high speed at the end, the mixture will be perfectly smooth.
4. Pour mixture into a bowl or jug.
5. Leave to stand at least 2 hours. The batter should be the consistency of fresh cream, but usually thickens on standing. Whisk in a little water to thin.
6. It's best to use a real crêpe pan, otherwise use a small pan not more than 6 inches in diameter.
7. Heat the pan and swirl in a knob of butter. For each crêpe use about 2 - 3 tablespoons batter: you want elegant thin crêpes.
8. Cook over medium heat until the batter bubbles and is firm on the underside. Flip and cook briefly on other side.
9. Repeat until batter is finished, stacking the crêpes on a plate.
10. I prefer putting a square of wax paper between them with a piece of paper poking out, because then it's easier to remove them one by one later.
11. Depending on pan size you should have 18 - 20 crêpes, or even 24 with a smallish pan.
12. The Suzette sauce:
13. Keep crêpes warm and lightly covered with foil.
14. Cream butter and sugar briefly, then add the grated lemon and orange rinds, mixing in well.
15. Add the orange juice and 8 tablespoons of the Cointreau. (You must use a citrussy liqueur).
16. Keep the brandy and rest of Cointreau at hand.
17. To serve:
18. Heat the flavoured, prepared butter in a hot chafing dish, electric frying pan, or even in an ordinary large skillet on the stove.
19. Let it cook, bubble and reduce a little.
20. Dip each cooked crêpe into this mixture, fold into quarters, and shove to the side of the pan. (If you do the entire recipe you might have to stack the folded crêpes to make room).
21. Check the heat -- the pan sauce should be at simmering point but not too hot!
22. When all the crêpes have been dipped, spread them over the pan.
23. Make sure the guests watch, but do be careful or the Fire Dept. won't be amused.
24. Stand well away and add the remaining Cointreau and brandy to the pan. Light the liquid with a match. (You could try throwing a lighted match at the pan!).
25. Spoon the flaming liquid over the crêpes, and serve as soon as the flames and the cheers die down.
26. Should serve 8.