French Classics Made Easy (60 page)

This recipe was a favorite of my daughters growing up. It became a Saturday morning ritual and something all their friends knew about. When they were old enough to make them with me, crêpe cooking lessons in the morning were part of sleepover dates. They enjoyed, and still do, spreading a thin layer of Apricot Jam (
page 356
) or Raspberry Jam (
page 355
) on the crêpes and then folding or rolling them to eat.

Traditionally, crêpes are made in small steel pans that must be seasoned and lubricated with butter or oil after every few crêpes. I find using nonstick pans much easier and less messy, and therefore recommend their use.

MAKES 16 TO 24 SIX-INCH CRÊPES

M
AKING
C
REPES

1.
Tilt the crêpe pan slightly and ladle approximately 2 tablespoons of batter into the pan where the sides and bottom meet.

2.
Turn the pan in a circular motion to spread the batter evenly.

3.
When the edges of the crêpe begin to brown, flip it.

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (150g) all-purpose flour

3 eggs

2 tablespoons (25g) sugar

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1½ cups milk

3 tablespoons (45g) melted butter or vegetable oil

1.
Put the flour in a bowl (see Note) and add the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and ½ cup of the milk. Whisk slowly until a smooth batter is formed. Add the remaining 1 cup milk and whisk well. If time permits, allow the batter to rest 30 minutes. (As the batter rests, the granules of flour absorb the milk and swell, creating a smoother batter and a slightly stronger crêpe than if used right away.)

2.
Whisk in the butter just before using the batter.

3.
Heat a nonstick pan with a 6-inch surface over medium-high heat. The pan is ready when a drop of water dances on the hot surface. Hold the pan in one hand, tilting it slightly. Using a small ladle or coffee measure, pour about 2 tablespoons of batter into the pan where the sides and bottom meet. Now turn the pan in a circular motion to spread the batter evenly. The amount of batter used should just coat the bottom of the pan. Any excess should be poured back.

4.
Cook the crêpe until the edge begins to brown, 30 to 45 seconds. Turn the crêpe with a spatula or flip it (see Savory Crêpes, step 4,
page 60
). Cook the second side for only 10 seconds and slide the crêpe onto a plate. (The surface of the crêpe should be medium brown in color, which is darker than a savory crêpe because of the sugar in the batter. If after making two crêpes you find the color either too dark or too light, adjust your heat accordingly. At the same point, if you find the crêpe is too thick, thin the batter with a little more milk.) If at any point a crêpe sticks to the pan, use a light brush of oil before making the next one. Repeat until all the crêpes are made, stacking them one on top of the other, and allow them to cool.

N
EUTRAL
C
REPE
B
ATTER

If you prefer, you can make crêpes to be used in either savory dishes or desserts by making a crêpe batter flavored with only ¼ teaspoon salt (leaving out the sugar and vanilla).

NOTE

The batter can be made in a blender without worry of lumps forming. Place all ingredients in the container of the blender and cover. Then turn the blender on and off again. Scrape down the flour that has stuck to the sides of the blender and blend until smooth.

CREPES SUZETTE

Crêpes Suzette is one of those desserts whose flavor lingers in your memory long after you have finished eating. The combination of orange, butter, sugar, and Cognac provides a delicious sauce for the thin, delicately flavored French pancakes.

Those who are familiar with making crêpes will notice that for this dessert I have removed 2 egg whites from the traditional dessert crêpe batter, which creates softer and richer-tasting crêpes. They are wonderful to eat, but more fragile (having lost the strength provided by the egg whites). If you have problems with the crêpes tearing, use 3 whole eggs the next time.

Choose an attractive ovenproof platter for serving, and make sure that it has a rim high enough to contain the sauce created by the melting butter. Although this dessert is customarily flambéed, I choose not to do so in order to make advance preparation and serving easy. When making crêpes for a large party, I use two crêpe pans to speed the process.

SERVES 6 TO 8

D
ESSERT
C
REPE
V
ARIATIONS

Most classic dessert crêpes are filled—unlike Crêpes Suzette, which are simply folded and served with a flavored butter sauce. The basic fillings for dessert crêpes are Pastry Cream (
page 347
), whipped cream, and Ice Cream (
page 290
). Diced fruit and chopped nuts are often mixed with the various cream fillings, and raspberry, vanilla, and chocolate sauces are served over the crêpes.

A crêpe filled with a soufflé batter and baked becomes a
crêpe soufflée.
You can fill the crêpes with Grand Marnier Soufflé (
page 265
) or Chocolate Soufflé with Grand Marnier (
page 266
). To make the
crêpes soufflées,
spoon about 3 tablespoons soufflé batter down the middle of the crêpe. Fold the two sides of the crêpe over the filling and place the filled crêpes, seam side down, on a well-buttered ovenproof platter. Bake at 475°F for 4 to 5 minutes, until they double in size. Serve the
crêpes soufflées
with Crème Anglaise (
page 346
), flavored to enhance the soufflé filling.

Dessert Crêpes (
page 278
)

1 tablespoon plus ¼ cup Grand Marnier

8 tablespoons (1 stick; 115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

¼ cup (50g) sugar

Grated zest and juice of 1 orange, at room temperature

1.
Prepare the crêpes using 1 egg and 2 egg yolks in place of 3 eggs. In step 2 of the crêpe recipe, whisk in the 1 tablespoon of the Grand Marnier along with the melted butter.

2.
Make the Suzette butter (see Note): In a food processor, cream the butter. Add the sugar and process until the mixture is smooth and white. Add the orange zest and gradually add the juice. (If the orange juice is cold it will stiffen the butter, making this procedure more difficult.)

3.
Add the ¼ cup Grand Marnier a little at a time. Do not worry if the butter does not hold all the liquid.

4.
Assemble the dessert: Turn the stack of crêpes over so that the lighter side is on top. Spread each crêpe with 1 teaspoon of the Suzette butter and fold in half and then in half again, forming a quarter-circle wedge. Arrange attractively on an ovenproof platter and spread any remaining butter and liquid over them. (At this point, the crêpes can be covered and refrigerated or frozen. Bake unthawed.)

5.
To serve: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the platter of crêpes in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the butter is bubbling. Serve 2 to 3 crêpes per person.

NOTE

It is best to make the Suzette butter while the crêpe batter is resting, for although the butter can be made ahead and refrigerated, it must be brought back to room temperature before using.

IN ADDITION

Crêpes Suzette was originally designed to be a restaurant spectacle, with the maître d’ flaming them for you at the table. I prefer to sip Cognac or Grand Marnier with coffee following dessert instead. However, if you wish to flame the crêpes, simply warm an additional ¼ cup of Grand Marnier and pour it over the crêpes hot from the oven. Carefully ignite the flaming sauce and use a long kitchen spoon to baste the crêpes with the sauce until the flames die. If all the alcohol has not evaporated, the delicate balance of flavors can be upset. (See also “How to Flambé,”
page 282
.)

BANANAS FLAMBEED
WITH RUM

[BANANES FLAMBÉES AU RHUM]

For people who like bananas,
bananes flambées
is a certain winner. Although your guests may enjoy the drama of this dessert, the flaming of the bananas is not just for show, and in fact is most easily done in the kitchen, away from the guests. In addition to cooking off the alcohol, flaming browns the bananas and caramelizes the sugar.

A simple variation can be made by serving half a banana cut lengthwise with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Also try plain or toasted grated coconut with or in place of the almonds.

SERVES 4

H
OW TO
F
LAMBE

When a recipe calls for flaming, a distilled liquor (like rum, Cognac, or gin) or a liqueur (like Grand Marnier or Cointreau) is used. The alcohol is added to a hot pan, causing fumes to rise. The fumes are then ignited and the alcohol is allowed to burn off.

In restaurant kitchens, a chef will usually ignite the alcohol by tilting the pan so that the gas flames of the burner ignite the fumes. For the home kitchen, it is safer to take the pan off the flames and ignite the fumes with a match. Of course, if you have an electric stove, you will have to use a match anyway.

When the alcohol is ignited while the pan is still over the heat, the flames will be quite high. Off the heat the flames will be lower, but it is still wise to stand back and keep your face averted when you light the alcohol. A long match (like a fireplace match) works well.

Never use more than about ¼ cup of alcohol for flaming. If you use more, it will take too long for the flames to die down.

Anyone who has had difficulty flaming a dessert at the table will find flaming in the kitchen much easier. Before you take your pan off the heat, be sure to have the alcohol you’re adding at hand, and the match ready to strike so the alcohol won’t all evaporate before you’re ready to ignite it.