Flambéing is igniting a warmed liqueur that has been poured over food. The actual reason for flambéing is to add the flavor of the liqueur to the foods, without adding the alcohol. Desserts are usually known as flambé foods. 

The most dramatic way to flambé is in front of guests. Please remember to use extreme caution here, you will be dealing with a liquid that is on fire; do not carry the dish while flaming, this is best done on a serving cart slightly away from your table. Keep a large metal lid on hand, to cover the dish in case your flambé gets out of hand.

In selecting a liqueur to use for a flambé, choose a liqueur that is at least 80 proof, or 40% alcohol by volume. The higher the proof, the longer the flames will last. While any 80 proof liqueur may be used, you will need to pick one that the flavor will be adding something to the dish that you are flambéing. Good choices are Brandies (both regular and flavored), Cognac, Dark Rums, Whiskeys, Grand Marnier, Cointreau or Triple Sec.

Choose a  serving platter, bowl or pan with a rim, to hold the food and the poured liqueur for flaming. Also be sure to practice flambéing before inviting guests to watch, you want to make sure that these steps are performed flawlessly. To do:

1. The first step will be to warm your liqueur. It must be heated until just warm, and is done when you see vapors rise from the liquid. Do not overheat your liqueur, or the alcohol will evaporate, and it will not flambé. To warm your liqueur, place the amount needed for your recipe in a tiny saucepan. Now place the vessel on the stove under low heat. Never, ever pour your liqueur directly from the bottle into a hot vessel, or into a already flambéing dish. The flames can travel up the stream and into the bottle.   
2. Once you can see the vapors rising from the liqueur, ignite the vapors in the pan or scoop some of the warm liquid into a ladle and then ignite. (Lighting the liquid in the ladle works best). Ignite with a long fireplace type. They will only ignite if the alcohol is warm enough or the alcohol has not evaporated.
3. When the liquid has ignited, now carefully pour it over the hot food. Be sure to do this step very carefully, keep hair, clothing, and any other objects away from the flaming food. To keep your flaming going, spoon the liquid around a bit so the all the liqueur will burn.
4. When the flaming is complete, serve your dessert.