Cherries Jubilee

Cherries Jubilee was in theory invented for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887 celebrations by Georges-Auguste Escoffier. Dark sweet cherries are simmered with orange zest and flambéed with brandy for a great festive dessert. Traditionally Cherries Jubilee is served over vanilla bean ice cream. Originally this dessert dish was flambéed with Kirschwasser, a cherry liqueur. But, since the liqueur wasn't as accessible for North Americans, we began using Brandy instead. Either way it is delicious and so easy to do. What makes this dessert so special for me is that it is typically flambéed tableside, both for presentation and to ensure the sauce is piping hot when poured over ice cream.

1 lb fresh or thawed, frozen sour cherries, pitted
1⁄2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1⁄2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved
1⁄4 cup kirsch (Kirschwasser) or brandy

Garnish:
vanilla ice cream, for serving

Heat cherries, sugar, juice, and vanilla bean with seeds in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves in the cherries' juices, about 4 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and add kirsch; return to heat and ignite with a match. Using a spoon, baste cherries with liqueur and juices until flame dies out.

Spoon immediately over vanilla ice cream in bowls.

Makes 4 servings.