Thursday February 2 is Candlemas.
And Candlemas is pancake day.
The favorites of Parisian baker-pastry chef Benoît Castel are the crêpes Suzette that he offers in boxes to take away in his three Parisian boutiques and on the Internet.
He also sells the pancake batter in milk jugs, which is very practical to transport, but also to pour his preparation into the pan.
Candlemas pancakes are a ritual he always looks forward to.
"It's even my favorite dessert", admits the Parisian baker-pastry chef (but of Breton origin) Benoît Castel.
He prepares it and serves it for brunches in his shop on rue de Ménilmontant.
He also sells some to take away in each of his three Parisian boutiques.
Individually (€2), in a box (€13.50) or just the dough in a milk jug (€8), practical to transport and to pour the preparation into the pan.
"There's a real thing to it," he says.
His favorite crêpes are the crêpes Suzette, of which he gives us the recipe on video.
“There is no debate: it's good, and even after a good meal, it remains digestible.
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The orange flavored sauce is not very complicated to make, even if it starts with a caramel, "which is always a bit scary", admits Benoît Castel.
The secret is to heat the sugar "dry", that is to say without liquid or fat "and to go gradually so that the caramel does not brown".
Add orange juice, orange zest blanched twice in boiling water (they will be more porous and confit better), butter and a little Grand-Marnier.
Keep some liquor aside to flambé if you want (and to impress your guests) and you're done.
A bottle of pancake batter
His pancake batter is so successful that Benoît Castel sells it all year round in milk bottles.
Which turns out to be much more practical than a ladle to pour the said preparation into the pan.
The latter must be “hot enough”, with a diameter proportional to the size of the fire and a thick bottom to best conduct the heat.
Once it is "well set" and the butter added to the pan for the first two pancakes.
“We can do without fat for the following, assures the chef, thanks to the butter present in the dough.
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Moreover, the dough, here is the recipe, taken from his book
Pastry simply natural
(La Martinière).
For about 20 pancakes, count 190g of flour, 60g of caster sugar, 1 pinch of salt, 1 vanilla pod, the zest of an orange and a lemon, 30g of melted butter, 4 eggs and 43cl of whole milk.
Mix the flour, sugar, salt, vanilla and citrus zest in a bowl.
Gradually add the eggs, mixing gradually to obtain a homogeneous preparation.
Heat 1/3 of the milk with the butter to melt it, add the rest of the milk, mix.
Gradually add to pancake batter and mix again.
Mix if necessary.
“Prepare this device at least the day before, advises the chef.
And reserve it in the refrigerator for more flavors.
Which means: take advantage of this Thursday to get started and plan to blow it all weekend.
Gastronomy
At table
Brittany
Paris
Pastry shop
Ile-de-France
food