Pancakes with a difference!

• 110g/4oz plain flour, sifted
• Pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 200ml/7fl oz milk mixed with 75ml/3fl oz water
• 50g/2oz butter
• 1 medium orange, grated zest only
• 1 tea spoon of caster sugar

For the sauce

• •150ml/5fl oz orange juice (from 3-4 medium oranges)
• 1 medium orange, grated zest only
• 1 small lemon, grated rind and juice
• 1 tea spoon of caster sugar
• 3 tea spoons of Cointreau
• 50g/2oz unsalted butter
• A little extra Cointreau, for flaming

For the presentation

• Orange & Grapefruit segments
• Brown Sugar
• Additional Cointreau for fuller flavour

Preparation method

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it. Then begin whisking the eggs.

 2. Gradually add small quantities of the milk and water mixture, whilst still whisking. Whisk until the batter is smooth at the consistency of thin cream. Melt 50g/2oz of butter in a pan. Spoon 2 teaspoons of it into the batter and whisk it in, then pour the rest into a bowl. Stir the orange zest and caster sugar into the batter.

3. Get the pan really hot, then turn the heat down to medium. The crepes are to be thinner than the traditional pancake so just use ½ tea spoon of batter at a time in a 18cm/7in pan. As soon as the batter hits the hot pan, tip it around from side to side to get the base evenly coated with batter. It should take only half a minute or so to cook.

4. For the sauce, mix all the ingredients - with the exception of the butter - in a bowl. At the same time warm the plates on which the crêpes are going to be served. Melt the butter in the frying pan, pour in the sauce and allow it to heat very gently. Then place the first crêpes in the pan and give it time to warm through before folding it in half and then in half again to make a triangular shape. Slide this onto the very edge of the pan, tilt the pan slightly so the sauce runs back into the centre.

5. Flame the frying pan at this stage. Heat a ladle by holding it over a gas flame or by resting it on the edge of a hotplate, then, away from the heat, pour a little Cointreau into it, return it to the heat to warm the spirit, then set light to it. Carry the flaming ladle to the table over the pan and pour the flames over the crêpes before serving on the warmed plates.

6. For presentation purposes, serve with a little brown sugar, orange and grapefruit segments and for a fuller flavour, pour in a little addition of Cointreau to the cooked pancakes.

We hope you enjoy the above recipe as much as our guests do. Enjoy!