Crepes Suzette

Whisk the flour, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl, then make a well in the centre. Add the eggs, half the milk, and the melted butter, whisking from the centre outward until completely smooth and no lumps remain. Whisk in the remaining milk, the cold water, and the vanilla to make a thin, pourable batter.

Cover the batter and rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour (or refrigerate overnight). This relaxes the gluten and produces more tender crêpes.

Set a 22–24cm non-stick or carbon-steel crêpe pan over medium-high heat. Brush lightly with melted butter and, when the first wisp of smoke appears, pour in roughly 60ml of batter, immediately swirling the pan in a circular motion to coat the base in a thin, even layer. Cook for 60–75 seconds until the edges are dry and lacy and the underside is golden. Flip and cook for a further 20–30 seconds. Slide onto a plate and repeat with the remaining batter, stacking crêpes as you go.

Beat the softened butter and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy, then beat in the orange zest, lemon zest, orange juice, lemon juice, and 40ml of the Grand Marnier to form the suzette butter.

Set a wide, heavy-based sauté pan or authentic copper suzette pan over medium heat. Add the suzette butter and stir continuously as it melts, then let it cook undisturbed for 2–3 minutes until the sugar begins to caramelise to a deep amber at the edges and the sauce turns glossy.

Lay one crêpe flat in the sauce and, using tongs and a spatula, fold it in half then in half again into a wedge. Slide it to the edge of the pan and repeat with each crêpe, overlapping the wedges around the pan in a fan. Baste constantly with the sauce for 1–2 minutes until each crêpe is glazed through.

Remove the pan from direct heat but keep it over the burner. Pour the remaining 40ml of Grand Marnier into the pan, tilt the pan slightly toward the flame (or use a long lighter for an electric hob) to ignite, and allow the flames to burn until completely extinguished, about 30–45 seconds. Baste the crêpes once more with the reduced sauce and serve immediately, two or three per person, with a spoonful of pan sauce over the top.