Jennifer Garner warned fans “don’t double the cognac” after she “almost lit the kitchen on fire” while cooking at home.
The Hollywood star was demonstrating how to make her traditional Christmas beef bourguignon when the pan burst into flames as she added a glass of cognac to the dish and ignited it with a lighter to burn off the alcohol.
Garner leaped back from the stove in shock and said: “A thousand pardons. Don’t double the cognac.
“Can you believe that just happened? That was wild.”
Garner, who is mother to three children with ex-husband Ben Affleck, often shares cooking videos on Instagram, and is a particular fan of chef Ina Garten, better known as the Barefoot Contessa.
Sharing a video of the kitchen mishap on Instagram, she wrote: “The thing about traditions – all you do to give them meaning is keep them.
“I don’t know when I started making @inagarten’s beef bourguignon (from Barefoot in Paris) for Christmas, it was long enough ago that the smell of this perfect stew makes me feel happy, cozy, and relaxed (until I almost lit the kitchen on fire – Ina would never!).
“Maybe this will make sense for your New Year’s Eve, but wherever this weekend takes you – we wish you a healthy, a joyful, and a peaceful New Year.”
Garner also shared the recipe for the beef dish, warning cooks to “STAND BACK” when they add the cognac and burn off the alcohol.