📝 About This Recipe
A legendary spectacle of New Orleans fine dining, this 'devilish burned coffee' is a dramatic performance of fire and spice. Invented at the historic Antoine's Restaurant, it combines deep-roasted chicory coffee with brandy, citrus, and warming spices in a flaming cauldron. The result is a sophisticated, aromatic digestif that perfectly captures the opulent, mystical spirit of the French Quarter.
🥗 Ingredients
The Coffee Base
- 4 cups Strong Dark Roast Coffee (preferably with chicory, brewed very hot)
The Brûlot Aromatics
- 1.5 cups Cognac or High-Quality Brandy (v.s.o.p. quality recommended)
- 1/4 cup Orange Curaçao or Grand Marnier (adds depth and sweetness)
- 3 pieces Cinnamon Sticks (broken into halves)
- 15-20 pieces Whole Cloves
- 12-15 pieces Sugar Cubes (standard white sugar)
- 1 large piece Orange Peel (cut into a long, continuous spiral)
- 1 large piece Lemon Peel (cut into a long spiral)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Brew 4 cups of very strong, dark-roast coffee (ideally a New Orleans blend with chicory) and keep it piping hot in a thermal carafe.
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2
Warm a traditional silver Brûlot bowl or a deep, heat-proof copper punch bowl by rinsing it with hot water, then drying it thoroughly.
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3
Place the cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and sugar cubes into the bottom of the bowl.
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4
Using a vegetable peeler, create long spirals of orange and lemon zest, avoiding the bitter white pith as much as possible, and add them to the bowl.
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5
Pour the Cognac and Orange Curaçao over the spices and sugar, stirring gently to begin dissolving the sugar.
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6
Place a long-handled silver ladle into the bowl and fill it with a small amount of the brandy mixture and one sugar cube.
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7
Carefully ignite the liquid in the ladle using a long-reach match or lighter; once the ladle is aflame, lower it into the bowl to ignite the remaining spirits.
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8
Stir the flaming mixture continuously with the ladle for 1-2 minutes. This caramelizes the sugar and releases the oils from the citrus peels and spices.
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9
For the 'Diabolique' effect, lift the orange peel spiral with the ladle while it is still flaming, allowing the blue fire to cascade down the peel back into the bowl.
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10
Slowly pour the hot coffee into the flaming bowl. The addition of the coffee will gradually extinguish the flames.
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11
Give the mixture one final, thorough stir to ensure all the caramelized sugar is integrated.
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12
Ladle the hot, aromatic coffee into small demitasse cups (Brûlot cups), ensuring each guest gets the intoxicating aroma of the spices.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always dim the lights before igniting the brandy to maximize the visual 'blue flame' effect. Ensure the brandy is at least 80 proof; lower alcohol content will not ignite reliably. Avoid using ground spices, as they will make the coffee cloudy and gritty. Be extremely careful with the open flame; keep a damp cloth or a lid nearby just in case you need to extinguish the fire quickly. Use a high-quality New Orleans coffee like Café Du Monde or Community Coffee for the most authentic flavor profile.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve in traditional tall, thin Café Brûlot demitasse cups with matching saucers. Pair with a rich New Orleans Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce. Accompany with a side of crisp almond biscotti or lace cookies. Serve as the grand finale to a Creole dinner of Oysters Rockefeller and Trout Meunière. Offer a small glass of ice water on the side to cleanse the palate between sips.