Cafe Brulot (Café Brûlot Diabolique)

littleturtle's Note:

A Creole flambéed dessert coffee that is still served in grand style at some of New Orleans finest restaurants. This is a very special after-dinner drink, spectacular for entertaining. Can be prepared at the table with lots of fanfare to impress the guests. There are special brulot bowls made to prepare this drink, but a round, chafing dish works well. If you don't care about fancy presentation, you can just use a saucepan over low heat on the stovetop instead.

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

• 8 cups dark-roast coffee and chicory blend (freshly brewed)
• 2 tablespoons dried orange peel or 2 tablespoons oranges, zest of , finely grated
• 1 teaspoon dried lemon peel or 1 teaspoon lemon, zest of , finely grated
• 4 (3 inch) cinnamon sticks , broken into small pieces
• 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds or 2 allspice berries
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1⁄8; teaspoon whole cloves (about 6 whole cloves)
• ½ cup pecan halves
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ½-½ cup cognac or ½-½ cup other brandy
• ½ cup Grand Marnier or ½ cup triple sec

Directions:

1. Using a grinder or mortar and pestle, grind together orange and lemon zests, spices, pecans, and sugar until finely powdered.
2. Transfer ground nut/spice mixture to brulot bowl or chafing dish or large saucepan.
3. Place dish directly over heat source with the flame on low; add Cognac and liqueur.
4. Just as liquid starts to simmer, half fill a metal ladle with the liquid and ignite (I use a long grill lighter to do this and keep a lid for the pan handy: it can be a bit intimidating once the whole thing is ignited; if the flames get to high for you to handle, you can just put the lid on the pan and the flame will go out and you can try again).
5. Return flaming liquid to dish to ignite the rest, and stir until sugar dissolves.
6. As flame begins to subside, slowly stir in coffee.
7. Ladle coffee into brulot cups or coffee cups, and serve hot.
8. Can also be served cold for a fancy iced coffee cocktail (coffee ice-cubes work the best, so the drink isn't diluted as the ice melts); shake in a cocktail shaker with ice and serve in champagne glasses.

Reviews

[FriskyKitty]

Very Good.