Flambéed Strawberries with Orange and Vanilla Ice Cream
A show-stopping dessert that's surprisingly easy to pull off! Ripe strawberries are caramelized in butter, infused with orange zest, then dramatically flambéed with Cointreau and spooned sizzling hot over creamy vanilla ice cream. The hot-and-cold contrast will have everyone at the table asking for seconds.
🛒 Ingredients
10 servings
- 500 g (about 1 lb) fresh ripe strawberries
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 organic orange (colored part only)
- ¾ cup (180 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
- 3 tablespoons Cointreau or Grand Marnier
- Vanilla ice cream, to serve
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Directions
- 1
Wash and hull the strawberries. Halve them, or quarter any particularly large ones.
- 2
Use a vegetable peeler or zester to remove the orange zest in thin strips, carefully avoiding the bitter white pith.
- 3
In a large skillet, melt the butter with the sugar over medium heat until a light golden caramel forms.
- 4
Add the orange zest strips and stir for 30 seconds to release their fragrance.
- 5
Add the strawberries and orange juice. Bring to a boil and cook for 2–3 minutes over high heat until slightly reduced.
- 6
Pour the Cointreau into a small stainless-steel ladle and heat it gently over the flame until it ignites.
- 7
Carefully pour the flaming liqueur over the strawberries and let the flames die out naturally.
- 8
Spoon the hot flambéed strawberries immediately over scoops of vanilla ice cream and serve at once.
💡 Chef's Tip
Make sure the Cointreau is well warmed before igniting — but don't let it boil away entirely. Always use a long-handled ladle and keep your face well back. Serve the moment the flames go out: the magic of this dessert lies entirely in that dramatic contrast between the warm sauce and the cold ice cream.
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