How do I flambe'?

Question

A recipe I'm making calls for me to flambe the cognac. I'm practicing with brandy, but nothing is happening. I'm getting the pan as hot as possible, then I take it off, pour the alcohol in, put it back on the burner, but it just boils, then almost evaporates. What am I doing wrong??

Answer 1

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Answer 2

How to flambé foods
The term flambé is French for "flaming" or "flamed." The food is topped with a liquor, usually brandy, cognac, or rum and lit afire.

The volatile alcohol vapor burns with a blue tint, leaving behind the faint flavor of the liquor or liqueur. This technique is used by chefs in the kitchen to burn off the raw alcohol flavor from a dish as well for dramatic flair at the table.

Only liquors and liqueurs with a high alcohol content can be used to flame foods, and those with a higher proof will ignite more readily. Beer, champagne, and most table wines will not work.

Liquors and liqueurs that are 80-proof are considered the best choices for flambé. Those above 120-proof are highly flammable and considered dangerous.

The liquor must be warmed to about 130 degrees F., yet still remain well under the boiling point, before adding to the pan. (Boiling will burn off the alcohol, and it will not ignite.)

Always remove the pan from the heat source before adding the liquor to avoid burning yourself. Vigorously shaking the pan usually extinguishes the flame, but keep a pot lid nearby in case you need to smother the flames. The alcohol vapor generally burns off by itself in a matter of seconds.
More about Flambé:

Answer 3

Please be very careful. Make sure the stove is off. DO NOT stand over the pan when you light the liquid. If you have one of those long, plastic lighters that people use for fireplaces and candles, use that. The Cognac will flare and burn out fairly quickly. Just use caution and make sure you haven't been drinking the Cognac or any of its cousins when you attempt this.

Happy cooking!

Answer 4

You're doing it right, but I'm pretty sure that it also requires the use of a match or a lighter actually touching the food.

And brandy has a higher flash point, as it were. I mean it's not the right word, but you need a higher temperature for brandy to catch fire.

Answer 5

When you are done cooking you put the cognac in, and it should light. If your pan is too high you have to light it yourself.