Crepes Suzette

Step 1

For the crepes: In a blender, add the milk, eggs, melted butter and 1/4 cup water; blend to combine. Add the flour, sugar and salt and blend, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed, until smooth, about 1 minute. Cover and let the batter rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Step 2

Re-blend the batter just before cooking. Heat a nonstick crepe pan or 10-inch nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Coat the pan with a small amount of butter and allow it to froth and bubble. Ladle about 1/4 cup batter into the center of the pan and lift and swirl to spread the batter evenly over the bottom of the pan in a circular motion. When the crepe begins to set, the edges get a little lacy and the bottom gets a little color, about 1 minute, carefully flip with a spatula. Continue cooking until lightly browned on the second side, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a plate or sheet pan. Repeat until the batter is used up, stacking the crepes as made. (You should have about 8 crepes.)

Step 3

For the sauce: In a 10-inch skillet, bring the juice to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and continue to simmer until the juice reduces down by two-thirds, or until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 4

Melt half the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add half the orange segments, half the zest strips and half the reduced orange juice and allow the orange segments to soften and the liquid to reduce, about 1 minute. Fold each crepe in half, and then in half again to form triangles. Add half the folded crepes to the sauce in a single layer, then allow them to be gently coated in the sauce. Flip and coat the other side. Add half the orange liqueur to the pan and allow it to reduce slightly. Pour half the cognac into the pan, then tip the pan to catch the flame and ignite the sauce. (Alternatively, use a long stick lighter to ignite the liquor.) Allow the flame to burn off the alcohol. Transfer the crepes to plates and serve with the Whipped Crème Fraîche. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients to make 2 more servings.

Step 5

Lightly whisk the crème fraîche and vanilla paste in a chilled bowl until the crème fraîche is slightly loosened up and the vanilla is incorporated. Chill until ready to use.