A Florentine take on a French classic, these golden, citrus-drizzled crepes make a delicious summer dessert when served with ice cream. Head Chef Giovanni Cosmai at Hotel Savoy’s Irene bistro has simplified his favourite orange crepes recipe so children can help out in the kitchen, too – and budding chefs can try their hand at flipping a few.
INGREDIENTS
(for 10 servings)
For the crepes:
6 egg yolks
6 eggs
1 vanilla pod
10g salt
80g sugar
60g butter
350g flour
1l milk
For the orange sauce:
10 oranges
500g sugar
600ml fresh orange juice
To serve:
Custard (to taste)
500g vanilla ice cream
200g raspberries
30 mint leaves
METHOD:
Begin by making the batter for the crepes. Whisk eggs, yolks, sugar, salt, a vanilla pod and melted butter into a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, gradually whisk together the milk and flour until you have a smooth, dense consistency. Then, combine the contents of the two bowls, mix well, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
While the batter is resting, prepare the orange sauce. Peel the oranges, cutting the rind into long, thin strips. Boil the peels in a saucepan of water for 5 minutes before draining. Then, add the orange juice and sugar, and boil together for a further 5 minutes until thickened into a syrup. The sauce is very hot, so be sure to keep small hands away.
Back to the crepes: spritz some non-stick cooking spray into a frying pan. Pour a thin layer of batter into the pan to form an even circle. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side over medium-low heat until lightly browned on both sides. Repeat this for every crepe.
Stuff the crepes with custard and fold them into half-moon shapes. Place them in the pan with the warm orange sauce and cook for a minute or so each. Take them out and serve with vanilla ice cream, raspberries and mint.
To taste Irene’s orange crepes with homemade custard and vanilla ice cream, please email reservations.savoy@roccofortehotels.com or call +39 06 32 888 930 to book your stay at Hotel Savoy.
