Oven temperature: 180° C / 350° F
Prep. time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: Under 30 minutes

There's nothing simpler or tastier than Breton crêpes. Here I make them tiny, like blini, while spice syrup, cream and orange butter provide a new twist on the traditional. I suspect this version may have been inspired by the crêpes Suzette we used to serve in the restaurant and that we loved as children, particularly for their festive presentation.

Make the crêpe batter a little more than an hour ahead:

1. in a bowl, combine 2 eggs, 10 g (2 tsp.) sugar and a pinch of salt. 
2. Whisk until light, sift in 60 g (2 oz.) flour and mix again. 
3. Add the milk gradually.
4. Once the batter is smooth, set aside to rest for 1 hour.

Next make the orange cream:

1. Bring 250 ml (1 cup) orange juice to a boil with 150 ml (10 tbsp.) heavy cream.
2. Whisk 4 egg yolks in a bowl with 50 g (3 tbsp.) sugar until light and pale. 
3. Add 50 g (2 oz.) flour, then the hot liquid. 
4. Mix well, return to the saucepan and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
5. Remove from the heat and pour the cream into a large bowl, whisking it occasionally as it cools. 
6. Once it's cool, fold in 200 ml (3/4 cup) heavy cream, whipped, being careful not to deflate the cream. 

Cooking the crêpes:

1. cook the very thin crêpes in a buttered blini pan. 

Spiced syrup:

1. grate the zest of 2 oranges, remove the segments from 4 oranges after having removed the peel and pith and set them aside; recuperate any juice. 
2. Place the juice, pulp and zest in a saucepan with 100 g (6 tbsp.) ech water and sugar, the split vanilla bean, 1/2 cinnamon stick, sliced fresh ginger and 2 cloves. Simmer for 30 minutes and strain. 
3. Off the heat, add the orange segments and cool. 

Last minute:

1. Place the crêpes on a baking sheet and place them in the oven for 30 minutes. You will need 16 mini crêpes in total. 

Orange butter:

1. in a saucepan, place 250 ml (1 cup) orange juice with the zest of 4 oranges. Reduce by half, then off the heat whisk in 50 g (3 tbsp.) butter in small pieces. 

To serve:

1. place 3 spoonfuls of the orange cream on each plate and stick in 4 crispy crêpes.
2. on the side, place a warm fresh crêpe. Arrange a row of orange segments with some of the spiced syrup. 
3. Then pour on a ribbon of warm orange butter and add a lemon balm leaf and icing sugar for decoration.