with chef Jean-Francois Nulli of JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi

“We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.” It is said that Crepes Suzette was created by fourteen-year-old Henri Charpentier in 1895, after unintentionally burning a freshly-cooked crêpe with liqueur while he was serving the Prince of Wales –future King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. As the alcohol in the liqueur evaporated, the caramelized sauce captured the prince’s palate and his beautiful French girlfriend named Suzette. The rest, as they say, is history.

Ingredients: serves 2

To make the crepes:

• 60g all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 60ml milk
• 60ml water
• A pinch of salt
• 14g butter, melted
• 5g butter, melted to coat the pan

To make the sauce:

• 60ml orange juice
• 2 small cubes of butter
• 25g sugar
• 60ml Grand Marnier

To make the crepes:

• Combine the flour and the egg in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Slowly pour the milk and water into the bowl and stir well. Add in the salt and melted butter; beat the mixture until it becomes smooth.
• Lightly coat the frying pan with a little of butter and heat it up over medium high heat. Pour 1 scoop of the mixture onto the pan and tilt it with a circular motion so that the batter covers the surface evenly.
• Cook each side of the crepe for about 2 minutes, until it is light brown. Serve warm on a plate.

To make the sauce:

• Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Pour Grand Marnier liquor into the saucepan and set fire to flambé. Add orange juice and reduce the sauce until it becomes syrupy.

Presentation:

• Serve two pieces of crepe with the sauce, slices of orange and a scoop of vanilla ice cream (optional).

You can sample the dish at French Grill, JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi, 8 Đỗ Đức Dục Road, Mễ Trì Dist, South Từ Liêm, Hà Nội. Tel: +84 3833 5588, hotline: +84 904 897 526.