Candlemas Delight: Jean Imbert and Grandmother's Gourmet Crêpes Suzette Recipe

Every year, Candlemas on February 2 follows Epiphany's galettes des rois, uniting families around delicious pancakes. Rooted in Christian tradition linked to Jesus' life, it also welcomes spring and sunshine—igniting our culinary passions as seasoned chefs and home cooks alike.

Jean Imbert's Family Crêpes Suzette Recipe

Renowned chef Jean Imbert, drawing from his grandmother's expertise, shares this timeless Crêpes Suzette recipe—a French culinary icon. Silky pancakes bathed in a luxurious sauce of Grand Marnier, orange, lemon, sugar, and butter, optionally flambéed for drama and depth. Featured in his cookbook "Thank you Grandma" (Chêne editions, 2019), it's a masterclass in elegance.

Pancake batter ingredients:

250g flour
60g sugar
Fleur de sel
4 eggs
50cl milk
80g butter
3cl amber rum

Suzette sauce ingredients:

0.5dl fresh orange juice
1 organic orange
100g sugar
5cl Grand Marnier

Step-by-step preparation:

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, and a pinch of fleur de sel.
Whisk in the eggs, creating a well in the flour mixture.
Gradually add milk while stirring with a spatula to prevent lumps.
Melt butter in a saucepan until it turns hazelnut brown; cool quickly in a water bath.
Incorporate cooled butter and rum into the batter; refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Reduce orange juice with 50g sugar to a syrupy consistency; chill.
Blanch and julienne the orange zest.
Confit zest in water and remaining sugar for 1 hour.
Supreme the orange.
Cook pancakes in butter.
Top with reduced juice, zest, and supremes; bake at 200°C under grill for 5 minutes.
Heat and flambé Grand Marnier; pour over hot pancakes.

Source: "Thank you Grandma" cookbook, Chêne editions, November 2019.

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