Poached Fruit Flambe

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups strong brewed lapsang souchong tea
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 star anise
• 1 teaspoon whole allspice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 6 ounces each dried cherries
• pitted prunes and Black Mission figs
• 1 pint vanilla ice cream
• 13 cup Scotch

Instructions

1. Place tea in a 3-quart saucepan.
2. Add cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice, lemon juice and honey.
3. Bring to a simmer over low heat.
4. Add cherries and prunes.
5. Cut stems off figs and add.
6. Cook at a very slow simmer until tender, about 30 minutes.
7. Set aside 30 minutes or longer.
8. To serve, divide ice cream among six bowls.
9. Return fruit to a simmer and transfer all the fruit and sauce from the saucepan to a shallow serving dish.
10. Pour the Scotch into the saucepan and heat briefly over low heat until warmed.
11. Light a match, grab it with an oven mitt, stand back and ignite the Scotch.
12. Pour flaming Scotch from saucepan over the fruit in the bowl; immediately spoon it over the ice cream.