The iconic crêpes flambées are prepared a la minute, flambeed in a syrup of lemon and orange juice, sugar, Grand Marnier, and cognac.

This recipe technique appears in our first cook book, ‘French Cooking Academy: 100 Essential Recipes for the Home Cook’.

Crêpes are beautiful on their own with just a little sugar, chocolate or jam but they can also be used to create an elegant dessert more appropriate for adults than the young ones. The iconic crêpes flambées are made à la minute, flambéed in a syrup of lemon and orange juice, sugar, Grand Marnier and cognac. Impress guests with this dessert by flambéing the crêpes on a trivet sur la table and wait for the applause.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 or more crêpes (recipe here)

• 3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter, plus extra to finish the sauce

• 2.5 oz (70 g) sugar

• Juice of 2 medium-sized oranges

• Juice of 1 small lemon

• 2 tbsp (30 ml) Grand Marnier

• 4 tsp (20 ml) cognac

MISE EN PLACE

Make the batter and cook the crêpes according to the recipe on page xx. Allow one or two crêpes per person.

I recommend using an 11-inch (28-cm) stainless-steel pan to make the sauce and a gas lighter to flambé the crepes.

METHOD

1. In the pan, combine the butter with the sugar, orange juice, lemon juice and the Grand Marnier over medium heat, mixing well and letting the liquid bubble for 3 minutes, or until it reduces by half.  Adjust the heat to low.

2. Roll the crêpes or fold them into triangles, and place them next to one another in the syrup. Use a spoon to gently baste the crêpes for up to 2 minutes, or until warm and moist. Turn the heat up to high and pour the cognac over the crêpes. Let it heat up for a few seconds, then, with the exhaust fan off, ignite with the gas lighter to flambé. You can bring the pan immediately to the table on a trivet with the flames still flickering to impress. Once the flames die out, stir in an extra dab of butter into the sauce and serve immediately.