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The dessert, French classic

Crêpes Suzette

Crêpes Suzette are thin crepes coated in an orange butter and flambéed with Grand Marnier, for 6 people. They take 60 minutes of active work spread over two days, the batter rests overnight and the crepes cook the next morning. The difficulty is medium, the cost runs about €1.80 per person, and success comes down to thin crepes and flambéing at the right moment.

Thin crepes wrapped in an orange butter, flambéed right at the table, a little bit of theater to close out the meal.

Crêpes Suzette
For
6 people
Work
1 h
Total time
1 h 50
Prep
Prepared the day before
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€1.80
Calories per person
490 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Crêpes Suzette work on a simple contrast, the thin, almost neutral crepe against a syrupy orange butter that coats every fold, finished with a flash of Grand Marnier that perfumes without weighing things down. The orange zest gives the butter its character, while the juice brings the acidity that balances the sugar.

This dessert suits a dinner with friends as much as a slightly festive family meal, best in winter and spring while oranges are still good. It closes a classic French menu nicely, after a braised meat or a fish course, and the quick flambé at the table always impresses without requiring any real skill.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before 1 step, 10 min
  2. The same day 2 steps, 40 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 15 min
  4. When it's time to serve 2 steps

The night before, make the crepe batter and let it rest overnight. In the morning, cook the eighteen crepes and make the orange butter, keeping it chilled. Just before guests arrive, rewarm the folded crepes in the warm orange butter, and at serving time, flambé the Grand Marnier at the table before spooning the sauce over the crepes.

The ingredients

6 people

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 250 g
  • Sugar for the batteroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Sugar for the orange butteroften in the pantry 100 g
  • Grand Marnier 8 cl
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Eggs 4
  • Milk 60 cl
  • Melted butter for the batter 40 g
  • Soft butter 120 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Organic oranges 5

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs

The recipe, moment by moment

The day beforeWhat's better after resting overnight in the fridge.

  1. Mix the flour, sugar and salt, add the eggs then the milk little by little, along with the melted butter and the zest of one orange, then let the batter rest overnight. 10 min

    The batter rests so the crepes turn out soft and pliable, the gluten relaxes.

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Cook eighteen very thin crepes in a hot, buttered pan, stack them on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. 40 min

    Pour a thin layer of batter and tilt the pan in every direction, the crepe should be as thin as paper.

  2. Mash the soft butter with the sugar, the zest of two oranges and the juice of three oranges to get a fragrant orange butter, and keep it chilled.

    Roll the oranges on the counter before juicing them, you'll get more juice.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Warm the orange butter in a large pan, rewarm the crepes in it and fold them into quarters, working in two batches if your pan is small. 15 min

    Let the sauce simmer gently until syrupy, but never let it boil.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Arrange the crepes in a rosette, pour the warmed Grand Marnier over them and light it at the table.

    Keep the bottle away from the flame and tilt the pan only once the liquid is warm.

  2. Spoon the sauce over the crepes, right in the pan, until the flame dies out, and serve right away.

    The flames die out on their own, the alcohol burns off and only the fragrance remains.

Our tips to get it right

  • Don't overload the pan with batter, one thin ladleful is enough, the crepe should look almost transparent once cooked.
  • Keep the cooked crepes covered with plastic wrap so they don't dry out while waiting to be rewarmed in the orange butter.
  • If you flambé at the table, use a pan with low sides and keep the Grand Marnier bottle well away from the flame.

The variations

  • Swap the Grand Marnier for Cointreau or another triple sec, the orange flavor stays close and the flambé works just the same.
  • For an alcohol free version that works for kids, skip the flambé and just serve the crepes coated in warm orange butter.
  • To save time on the day, make the orange butter the night before too and keep it chilled, then you only need to cook and rewarm the crepes.

What to serve it with

  • A scoop of vanilla ice cream
  • Coffee or black tea
  • A sweet wine like muscat

Storage

Cooked crepes keep for 2 days in the refrigerator, well wrapped, and the orange butter also keeps for 2 to 3 days in a sealed container. Rewarm the crepes gently in the orange butter before serving, they don't freeze well once assembled.

Questions about this recipe

Can you flambé the crepes safely with kids around?

Yes, just keep everyone at a safe distance and hold the alcohol bottle away from the flame. You can also skip this step entirely and serve the crepes simply coated in warm orange butter.

Do you have to use Grand Marnier?

No, you can swap it for Cointreau or another triple sec with very similar results. The key is to warm it slightly before lighting it.

How do you plate crêpes Suzette so they look good?

Fold each crepe into quarters and arrange the half moons in a rosette in the pan or on a serving plate. The glossy sauce pooled around them does most of the visual work, nothing else is needed.

Can you make crêpes Suzette for more than 6 people?

Yes, the recipe scales easily, just cook more crepes and increase the orange butter in the same proportions. Make sure you have a pan large enough to rewarm everything without crowding.

Can crêpes Suzette be made ahead?

Yes, it's even recommended. The recipe needs 1 h of work in total, split up like this, the day before, 1 step, the same day, 2 steps, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 2 steps.

How long does it take to make crêpes Suzette?

Allow 1 h 50 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 1 h is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in crêpes Suzette?

About 490 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does crêpes Suzette cost?

About €1.80 per person, that's €10.80 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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