flaming desserts

[atlanta cook]

I am interested to know if anyone here has experience with serving flaming desserts a la carte in a restaurant. I am thinking of brulee, baked alaska, or a flambe with a touch of alcohol lit just before leaving the kitchen. a former coworker told me of a brulee he did at a restauarant in albany where they poured pure alcohol directly on the raw sugar and it caramelized en route... I am intruiged. any insights? thanks

[maggie]

We do a "Baked Tennessee" for special occasions, and light it with corn liquor, but have trouble getting it to ignite with just the alcohol. It only browned in spots, sometimes too much. So, we torch it before it goes out and the server carries a shot glass of the slightly-warmed alcohol, lit, to the table to pour over it. It doesn't always make it to the table lit, and is really just for show, since we've torched it in the kitchen. Warming the alcohol seems to be necessary for it to light and stay lit, just 10 seconds in the microwave before it goes in the shot glass.

[Wendy DeBord]

Some random thoughts:

I find most servers don't want to do this and are scared, uncomfortable doing so. We wound up having the manager be the only one who'd do this per order. The manager trusted themselve and was able to do it with confidience.

Make darn sure you've got the right surroundings to do this. As in, lots a space so no one will bump the server during flaming. If the room isn't dark enough, the effect is lost.

You can't light it and walk out into the room, if your rooms are like mine there's too much draft. You don't light until your at the table.

For baked alaska you see that many places use a hollowed out egg shell to hold the liqour for the flaming.

Flaming in the kitchen doesn't have any wow factor.

[pastrymama]

You need to find out about the codes in your area. We are not allowed to have any flame in the dining rooms. cook tops or flaming food.

[devinf]

I have a baked alaska on the menu (it's an OK seller at best). We have them fully prepped in the freezer, slap it in a serving dish warm it up in the oven and get a little color, then the waitstaff flames it the table with some 151. They pour it out of a small creamer and use a spoon. No real problems.

Besides the flame part, it's a damn boring dessert. I wish I didn't have to waste my time making them.

Devin

[atlanta cook]

it's an OK seller at best).

I wish I didn't have to waste my time making them.

Devin

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maybe the best advice of all, thanks to all

[jackal10]

That's unfair, there are lots of yummy flaming deserts:

crepes suzette

Cherries Jubilee (remember those?)

Bananas Foster (strawberries etc ditto)

Snapdragon

Christmas Pud

and not forgetting the various flaming coffees and cocktails.

Just make sure you are not under a sprinkler head