Fire up the grill for tasty dessert

As we celebrated the Fourth of July last week, many of us fired up our backyard barbecue grills. From burgers to kebobs to racks of baby back ribs, all manner of meats received the perfect amount of charcoal or gas-flamed char. On some patios and porches, menus included chicken or oysters on the half shell, corn on the cob or grilled eggplant strips. 

Whether we ate too much or we just didn’t consider it, dessert is one of the items most often overlooked when cooking on the grill. But, before you turn off the heat, consider grilling fruit to serve as a sweet, juicy final course. 

There a few things to keep in mind when selecting which fruit to toss on the hot grate. First, make sure the pieces are large enough to keep them from falling through. For example, smaller chunks of fruit, strawberries or blackberries can be collected on a skewer or folded into aluminum foil packets. 

The next feature is the sturdiness of the fruit. Pineapple rounds, halved bananas and various stone fruits are all good candidates. If you choose peaches, plums or apricots, slice them in half along the seam and twist them apart off the pit. The peaches in the photo turned out to be clingstone (not freestone) so instead, we cut them into thick slices. Leave the tender skin on to help hold in the juices. 

Even thought they don’t spend much time on the heat, if your fruit is too ripe the pieces will turn into mush before collecting those lovely grill marks. For watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew, the flesh should be slightly tender but not too soft. Leave the rinds in place to help hold the sweet flesh together and make them easier to handle. 

The next piece of the grilled fruit equation is which flavors you’d like to add before cooking. A mixture of melted butter and cinnamon is lovely for bananas, while lime juice is ideal for mango slices. A splash of white Balsamic vinegar and butter paired perfectly with the peaches in the photo. 

Finally, once you have chosen the fruit and a pre-grilling glaze, you’ll need to decide which creamy topping will be the perfect companion. A simple scoop of vanilla ice cream never fails, a dollop of yogurt adds a healthy touch, a chocolate drizzle is delightful and a hint of rum or Grand Marnier enlivens creamy mascarpone cheese. 

There is no special recipe for grilling fruit. Make sure the grill is very clean so the fruit doesn’t collect bits of chicken skin or barbecue sauce. Keep the heat quite high, the rack about 4 to 6 inches from the source and grill each side for about 3 minutes. 

For peaches, plums, nectarines and apricots, grill the skin side first, so the cut side is warm and juicy when served.

As you can see in the photo, the mascarpone started to melt on the peaches, making the texture all the more creamy. I’ve included recipes for three different pre-grilling glazes and three sauces to drizzle over your grilled fruit.

Orange Glaze 

1/2 C orange juice 
1/4 C brown sugar 
1/2 t orange zest 

Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan or microwaveable dish. Heat until boiling and stir to thoroughly combine. Allow to cool slightly before using. Brush on fruit pieces before grilling.

Ginger Glaze 

1/2 C sugar 
1/2 C water 
1/4 C thinly sliced ginger 

Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for a minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before using. Brush over fruit pieces before grilling.

Balsamic Glaze 

1/3 C white Balsamic vinegar 
2 T melted butter 

Whisk ingredients together until combined; brush over fruit pieces before grilling.

Maple Sauce 

6 oz vanilla yogurt 
2 T maple syrup 
1 T lemon juice 

Whisk ingredients together and serve over grilled fruit.

Mascarpone Sauce 

8 oz mascarpone cheese 
2 T honey 
1 T Grand Marnier liqueur 
1/2 t almond extract 
1/4 sliced almonds (optional) 

Whisk together mascarpone, honey, liqueur and almond extract. Garnish grilled fruit with generous spoonfuls and a sprinkle of sliced almonds (if using).

Chocolate Sauce 

1 C chocolate chips 
2 T rum 

Place chips in a microwaveable bowl and cook for 20 seconds; repeat until melted, stirring often. Whisk in rum until combined and serve over grilled fruit.