Brown Butter Cafe Brulot

Author Notes

On a trip to New Orleans, my husband and I couldn't afford a whole fancy meal at Arnaud's but we did treat ourselves to dessert there in their beautiful front room, with leaded glass windows and black bistro chairs over the black and white tiled floor. We indulged in both Bananas Foster, a familiar favorite, and Cafe Brulot, a boozy coffee spiked with orange liqueur and infused with clove studded orange and lemon zest. In the restaurant it is a true show, with a tableside chafing dish full of your after dinner coffee, lit aflame and poured over a suspended orange peel (peeled all at once into one long corkscrew of rind in a way I can never manage), but at home I leave out the open flame for safety's sake. I started my version with browned butter, as if the recipe needed to feel even more luxurious! I can imagine enjoying this as a digestif after a filling Thanksgiving meal—adding it to my menu now. Enjoy! —Emily | Cinnamon&Citrus

Test Kitchen Notes

I wasn't sure I'd like this drink; it seemed like it might have a bit too much going on. But it was a funky, tasty marriage of a hot buttered rum and "bulletproof coffee." I imagine it would be great in place of a mimosa for brunch, and just as fulfilling as an after-dinner drink. I found the triple sec made it a bit too sweet for me, so if I make this again, I'll cut back on the sugar by a tablespoon or so. I would also suggest whisking the butter rather than just stirring so that it will emulsify a bit more. —Sarahgreenbean