Crêpes Suzette with Royal Mandarin

This is a really popular brunch dish on a saturday or sunday. Light and soft crêpes, covered with a warm orange-Grand Marnier sauce. Our version also includes some homemade ricotta (optional, to offset the sweetness) and topped with fresh royal mandarin segments, then dusted with powdered sugar. Easy to eat and make! 

First make the crêpe batter:

In a blender put:

2 eggs

1/2C milk

1/8t salt

3t sugar

1/3C cold water

1T oil

1T melted unsalted butter

Blend till smooth, then add:

3/4C all purpose flour. Blend till smooth. This can also be made 1 day ahead, the batter becomes more flavorful as it stands a bit.

In a 6" saucepan add a little bit of butter, heat the pan, then add just about 1-2 tablespoons of batter, and swivel the pan so that the batter spreads out and you have a thin crêpe. This will all cook very fast. When the edges are golden flip sides. Put on a plate, and repeat with the next crêpe.

Now for the sauce:

Juice 1 royal mandarin, or orange. 

Pour it into a pan. 

Add 1t vanilla extract

1/4C sugar

zest of 1 royal mandarin

Let this reduce and thicken just enough that when you pour the sauce it has a continuous consistency and doesn't just drip. This will take about 8 minutes of boiling. Turn off the heat. Add 3T of Grand Marnier and 1T butter. It will bubble. Now pour this over the crêpes. Top it with whipped cream or ricotta cheese and segments of royal mandarins.

Royal mandarins are the size of an orange, but their skin is a little bit more wrinkly and thinner than that of an orange. They are sweeter than a regular mandarin would be. Royal mandarins are seasonal, and bring a different flavor to a recipe that is usually made with oranges.