Anne Neary says; Every head waiter in the 5 star hotels had a flambé dish to make crepe suzette at your table. It was a real show piece.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the pancake batter
- 60g/2oz plain flour
- 1 level tbsp caster sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 medium egg
- 175ml/6fl oz milk
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- oil, for frying
For the syrup
- 60g/2oz icing sugar
- juice of 1 orange
- 125g/4oz butter
- zest and segments of 2 oranges
- 4 tbsp Grand Marnier
- 3 tbsp brandy
You will need 20cm/8in frying pan
Method:
To make the batter: sift the flour, sugar and salt into a bowl. Break the egg into the centre and slowly whisk in the milk and oil, gradually incorporating the flour so that the batter doesn’t become lumpy. Pour batter into a jug.
Heat the frying pan and grease very lightly by wiping a piece of kitchen paper dipped in oil over the base. Pour in some batter, swirling the pan around to give a thin layer over the base. Cook for 1-2 mins to set the base, then use a palette knife to loosen the pancake and turn it over and cook for a further 1-2 mins.
Slide the pancake out of the pan.
Layer up cooked pancakes with a sheet of kitchen paper or baking parchment between each, so that they don’t stick together.
To make syrup: Dissolve the icing sugar in the orange juice and place in the frying pan with the butter. Melt the butter on a gently heat and simmer for a couple of mins.
Fold pancakes into quarters, place 1 or 2 orange segments in each. Add the pancakes to the frying pan along with the rest of the orange segments, the zest and 1 tbsp of Grand Marnier. Cook for a couple of mins to heat the pancakes through. Mix together the remaining Grand Marnier and brandy and pour into the pan, then set alight. If cooking on a gas hob, the pan can be tilted slightly so that the gas flame will light the alcohol in the pan, otherwise use a match. The pan needs to be ignited as soon as the Grand Marnier and brandy is poured in, otherwise the alcohol will evaporate and won’t light. Carefully swirl the pan around, so that the pan flames evenly. Serve pancakes when the flames have extinguished.
Anne’s Top Tip
Take great care when igniting the pan, and make sure that there is nothing combustible close to it.
