Delightful Sweet Orange Crêpes Provençal
Dessert · Flans, Puddings · Provencal Recipes · TasteA sweet recipe by Girl Gone Gallic:
Looking for a fresh new dessert idea for a dinner party? Then try these delightful Orange Crepes Provencal, subtly flavored with Saffron – a delicious departure from regular crêpes. Why the Saffron? Although unknown to many, Saffron was first brought to France by the Romans and is still being produced in Provence.
These orange and flavored crêpes, a delicious departure from regular crêpes. Don’t get these confused with Crêpes Suzettes (made famous by Julia Child) – those finicky flambe crêpes – these are much easier to make. The recipe is follows.
Sweet Orange Crêpes Provençal
Do not let the intimidation of cooking crêpes deter you from this trying the very simple recipe. Light and airy yet packed full of zesty orange flavour, it's a recipe to be proud of conquering!
Ingredients
Dry ingredients –
- 200 gr (1 cup) flour
- 35 gr (2 tsp) Sugar
- pinch salt
- Zest from 1 orange avoid the white bitter pith
- pinch saffron
Wet ingredients – (at room temperature to prevent lumping)
- 350 gr (1.5 cups) milk preferably skim; the crêpes hold together better
- 2 large eggs
- 50 gr (1/4 cup) orange juice from 1 orange
- 50 gr (1/4 cup) butter melted
Instructions
Prepare batter
- In a large bowl , mix together dry ingredients: Flour, sugar, salt, orange zest, and saffron.
- Make a well in the center and add wet ingredients: Milk, eggs, orange juice, and melted butter.
- Using a whisk, mix well until all lumps have disappeared.
- Alternatively, you can add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and pulse for 10 seconds or so.
- Evaluate the consistency, which should be that of thick cream – fluid and liquid, but not watery.
- Proper consistency is the key to making perfect crêpes, and most common mistake beginners make is a batter that is too thick. If needed, add up to 50gr (1/4 cup) of water to thin.
- Let plastic film covered crêpe batter rest at least 2 hours in refrigerator (4 hours if using Saffron), or overnight and up to 48 hours.
For Frying the Crêpes
- Butter and heat your crêpe pan, or sloped sided non-stick skillet on medium to medium-high heat.
- Once the butter is sizzling but not browning (proper temperature is important), pour about 1/4 cup of batter directly into the center of the pan.
- I like to just add the batter back to my measuring cup after mixing for easy pouring into the pan since it’s already dirty anyways.
- Immediately tilt the pan around until the batter spreads out evenly to the edges (or as evenly as you can).
- No worries if your crêpe is lopsided, that does nothing to change the taste .
- Cook the crêpe until the surface has dried and the edges begin to lift and brown lightly.
- Just make sure to spread out the batter thinly by swirling to the edges, and let the edges dry on the first side before flipping.
- The second side cooks much faster than the first. If you notice tiny holes in the crêpe after flipping the first side, that’s because your pan is too hot.
- Here’s the “hardest” part – flipping the crêpe. You have a few choices… * Just grab the crêpe by the edge with your fingers and flip it over. * Use a spatula to flip it over just like you would a pancake – that’s what I usually do. * Flip it up in the air, which is actually easier than it seems. Just launch it in the air using a circular motion so it lands back in the skillet and not on your wrist like a funny looking corsage.
- Once you got them all fried up, then get ready to eat! Try these crêpes with butter and orange marmalade, honey, just a bit of sugar, or marinated strawberries and whipped cream. Oh so yummy!!!
- I like to just lightly sprinkle sugar on mine and then roll them up – that’s how we always did it in our family. Most people though fold them in half, then half again for a triangle shape. Street vendors fold them around a paper plate for easy eating!
Notes
A pinch of saffron adds an unexpected interesting flavor and deepens color – I highly recommend you try it but it is optional if you do not have it on hand.For some reason, cooks across the globe quake in their boots at the idea of frying even just basic crêpes. Why all the fear surrounding such a humble assembly of flour, milk, and egg? I even searched the internet for a good video, but found what was available either overly complicated or not quite up to standards. The process is the same for any crêpe recipe, so…for you my faithful GGG followers here’s my quick “how to make crepes” video to ease your mind on the process.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Private Baux de Provence & Saint Remy de Provence Wine Tour from Marseille
Create your perfect private wine tour in Provence, tailored to your preferences (half-day or full-day). Whether you want to combine wine tasting with stunning landscapes, charming villages, or cultural exploration, we’ll design an itinerary just for you.
Book this ExperienceLegal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Previous Post
Holiday Musings from ProvenceRelated Provence Articles
Fig Buttermilk Tart Made Easy
March 9, 2020
Sometimes, you have to wonder why great chefs don’t cut corners. I suppose that is why I am a cook and not a chef; occasionally, it just makes sense to skip a step for the same taste result. The recipe for this Fig and Buttermilk Custard Tart is a great example. The original version by …
Recipe for Fruit Clafoutis a Provencal Classic
August 7, 2017
Warm fruits baked in a sweet creamy batter sprinkled with sugar.…
Sweet, Creamy and Tangy Dessert Lemon-Lavender Hearts with Lemon Curd
August 29, 2018
The lavender season may be over for another year in Provence, but the locally-grown citrus will be available shortly. Perhaps these Lemon-Lavender Hearts (Coeur à la Crème au Citron et Lavande) are the perfect dessert to bridge the gap between seasons in the South of France. The combination of sweet lemon curd and cream cheese blended into a delicious finish to any meal.…
Homemade French Lemon Tart to Beat the Blues
July 17, 2020
This spring when were house-bound due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it would have been easy to feel down. But, that’s not the way we roll in our home, we start baking and cooking to lift the spirits. When life gives you lemons you might make lemonade. I will always make a French Lemon Tart instead. I …
No Comment