Tips for flambéed desserts
Flambéing allows you to incorporate the flavour of a liqueur without having the harsh bite of alcohol.
Choose a liqueur that is 80 proof. Anything higher is too unstable and can yield explosive results, while liqueurs of a lower proof may not ignite when held to the flame.
Make sure the food you are going to flambé is also warm.
It is a good idea to put the alcohol in a metal soup ladle, then either hold the ladle over a gas flame or on a solid plate on your stove until it starts to bubble around the edges.
Or use a microwave to warm it.
Use a gas lighter or a long match to ignite the alcohol, then pour it flaming over the dessert.
Never pour alcohol straight from the bottle into a pan on a gas hob as the flames could jump back in the bottle and cause an explosion.
Be prepared for a whoosh of the flames and stand back accordingly. You could end up with singed eyebrows.
Keep a large saucepan lid handy to smother flames if they get out of hand.
If it is evening, turn down the lights for a more dramatic effect.
CRÊPES SUZETTE
Serves 4
Crêpes:
250ml flour
30ml sugar
pinch of salt
3 eggs, beaten
375ml milk
15g butter, melted
extra butter for frying
Filling:
100ml castor sugar
30ml grated orange rind
Sauce:
125g butter
80ml castor sugar
80ml orange juice
125ml orange liqueur
60ml brandy
Sift flour, sugar and salt into a bowl. Add eggs, milk and melted butter, and beat until very smooth. Set aside for an hour.
Melt a little of the extra butter in a small frying pan and when hot pour in a little of the batter. Rotate pan quickly to spread batter.
Cook for a minute on one side, or just long enough to be able to turn the crêpe over with a spatula. Turn it over and cook for 1 minute on the other side.
Continue making crêpes, using a little butter for each one. Pile flat, one on top of the other.
FILLING: Combine sugar and orange rind and sprinkle a little on each crêpe before folding it into quarters.
SAUCE: In a clean frying pan, melt the butter. When it begins to bubble, add the folded crêpes and sprinkle with sugar. When they are hot, add orange juice and orange liqueur.
Baste with sauce until well saturated. Pour brandy on top, set it ablaze and serve on warm plates.
CHOCOLATE AND CHERRY TARTS
Makes 4
Chocolate Filling:
75ml cream, heated
100g dark chocolate
4 individual baked tart cases
Topping:
410g can of black cherries
1 cinnamon stick
finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange
30ml cornflour
30ml water
30ml berry liqueur
To flambé:
60ml brandy
Pour hot cream over chocolate and allow to melt. Mix well. Divide chocolate between pastry cases and place in fridge to set.
Combine cherries and juice in a saucepan. Add cinnamon stick and the grated rind and orange juice, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
Mix cornflour with water and add to saucepan. Boil, stirring, until thickened. Stir in the liqueur and allow to cool.
Pile cherries on top of chocolate filling in pastry tarts. Place on serving plates.
TO FLAMBÉ: Warm brandy in a small saucepan, flame and pour a little over each tart. Serve immediately.
ORANGE SOUFFLÉ
Makes 6
80g butter
60ml flour
180ml milk
grated rind and juice of 1 orange
3 eggs, separated
120ml castor sugar
To flambé:
30ml orange liqueur
Grease six ramekins with 20g of the butter and dust the inside with castor sugar.
Melt remaining butter in a saucepan. Add flour and stir in the milk and orange juice. Bring to boil, stirring constantly.
Beat egg yolks, 80ml of the sugar and orange rind until thick and creamy, and beat in hot milk mixture.
Whisk egg whites until stiff and add the remaining castor sugar and beat until mixture is glossy. Fold into milk mixture. Spoon mixture into ramekins until three-quarters full.
Bake at 180°C for 15-20 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.
Warm a little orange liqueur in a saucepan and ignite. Working quickly, use a sharp knife to make a small slit in the top of each soufflé and pour a teaspoonful of the flaming liqueur into the soufflé. Serve immediately.
CARAMEL BANANAS
Serves 4
125g butter
80ml brown sugar
60ml orange juice
4 bananas, peeled and halved lengthwise
45ml brandy
ice cream to serve
In a large frying pan, melt the butter. Add the sugar and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring.
Add the orange juice and bring to the boil. Simmer for a few minutes until thickened.
Add the bananas and toss them in the sauce. Don’t overcook or the bananas will break up.
Flame the bananas with the heated brandy and serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream.
BAKED ALASKA
Serves 4-6
1 Madeira loaf cake
30ml sherry
strawberry ice cream
125g fresh raspberries
vanilla ice cream
2 egg whites
125ml castor sugar
45ml brandy for flaming
Line a 11x 18cm loaf pan with cling film. Cut a 3cm thick slice lengthwise from the loaf and place it in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with sherry.
Place spoonfuls of strawberry ice cream on to the cake layer and smooth it out. The layer of ice cream should also be about 3cm thick.
Press a layer of raspberries into the ice cream. Place a layer of vanilla ice cream on top of the strawberry layer, pressing down to make it smooth. Put the pan in the freezer to harden for a few hours.
WHEN READY TO SERVE: Remove the cake and ice cream layers from the pan with the help of the cling film and place it on to a baking tray.
Beat the egg whites until stiff, then gradually beat in the castor sugar until the mixture is thick and glossy. Spread the mixture over the loaf, making sure it is well covered.
For a special effect, put three egg shells in the top which will later be filled with brandy and flamed. Bake at 230°C for 8-10 minutes until the meringue has tinges of brown. Pour over warm brandy and ignite.
Serve immediately. - The Star