Great Grilled Desserts
No summer barbecue or Fourth of July celebration would be complete without a tasty and refreshing dessert—and since the grill is already hot, why not use it to make your dessert? Fruits cook up quick and easy, and when the grill caramelizes the fruit’s natural sugars, their flavors explode. In this guide are some of the most scrumptious, easy-to-make grilled desserts you’ll ever find. Ready? Let’s start grilling!
Grilled Fresh Peach Sundae
- Prep time: about 25 minutes
- Cook time: 8 to 10 minutes
- Servings: 4
- 2 medium almost-ripe peaches, halved lengthwise, pitted, and peeled
- 1 TB. unsalted butter, melted
- 2 TB. clover (or other mild) honey
- ⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1 pint (2 cups) vanilla ice cream or vanilla frozen yogurt
- 1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed under cold water and patted dry with paper towels
- 1 cup sliced strawberries
- ¼ cup crushed gingersnap cookies (use a food processor)
- Fire up the grill:
- For a charcoal grill: Open the bottom vent. Ignite 6 quarts or 2 ½ pounds charcoal briquettes or hardwood charcoal. When the coals are hot, set up for a one-level medium-heat fire (so you can hold your hand 5 inches above the cooking rack only 4 to 5 seconds).
- For a gas grill: Turn each burner to high and ignite. Cover the grill. When hot, set the burners to medium heat.
- Brush cut sides of peaches with melted butter.
- On a charcoal grill: Oil the grill rack well. Grill peaches, uncovered, directly over medium coal for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender, turning and brushing once with honey halfway through. On a gas grill: Place peaches on grill over heat, cover, and follow charcoal directions.
- to serve, sprinkle cut sides of peaches with nutmeg. Place 1 peach half, cut side up, in each dessert dish. top each half with ½ cup ice cream (or yogurt), some blueberries, and strawberries. Sprinkle with crushed gingersnaps and serve.
Whiskey-Flavored Grilled Caramel Apples
- Prep time: 25 minutes
- Cook time: 8 to 11 minutes
- Servings: 6-8 (1 skewer/serving)
- 10 TB. unsalted butter
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup bourbon or other whiskey
- 6 TB. whipping cream
- 6 medium-size apples (such as Golden Delicious, Gala, Braeburn, or Empire) peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges
- Metal skewers
- Fire up the grill:
- For a charcoal grill: Open the bottom vent. Ignite 6 quarts or 2 ½ pounds charcoal briquettes or hardwood charcoal. When the coals are hot, set up for a one-level medium-heat fire (so you can hold your hand 5 inches above the cooking rack only 4 to 5 seconds).
- For a gas grill: Turn each burner to high and ignite. Cover the grill. When hot, set the burners to medium heat.
- In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir together 4 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and bourbon. Bring mixture to a boil, and boil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove syrup from heat, and stir in whipping cream. (Be very careful, as cream will spatter and steam as it hits the very hot sauce.)
- In a small saucepan, over medium heat melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter. Thread apples onto metal skewers, and then brush apples with melted butter.
- On a charcoal grill: Oil the grill rack well. Grill apples, uncovered, over coals for 8 to 10 minutes, turning at least once, until tender. In the last 1 to 2 minutes of grilling, baste apples with some sauce. On a gas grill: Grill, covered, grilling for 9 to 11 minutes, turning once midway and basting with some sauce.
- Divide apples among individual serving bowls. Drizzle additional sauce over apples, and serve immediately.
Pineapple, Nectarine, and Banana Kabobs
- Prep time: 25 minutes, plus 30 minutes to soak bamboo skewers
- Cook time: 6 to 8 minutes
- Servings: 6 (1 kabob/serving)
- 1 (8-oz.) carton low-fat vanilla yogurt
- 1 tsp. finely shredded lime zest
- 1 TB. plus 2 tsp. fresh lime juice (from ½ large lime)
- ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 small fresh pineapple, peeled and cored
- 2 large ripe, firm, nectarines or peeled peaches, pitted
- 2 medium-ripe, firm bananas
- 6 (6- to 8-inch) bamboo skewers, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
- 1 TB. unsalted butter, melted
- In a small bowl, stir together yogurt, lime zest, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and cinnamon. Cover and chill.
- Fire up the grill:
- For a charcoal grill: Open the bottom vent. Ignite 6 quarts or 2 ½ pounds charcoal briquettes or hardwood charcoal. When the coals are hot, set up for a one-level medium-heat fire (so you can hold your hand 5 inches above the cooking rack only 4 to 5 seconds).
- For a gas grill: Turn each burner to high and ignite. Cover the grill. When hot, set the burners to medium heat.
- Cut prepared pineapple into 1-inch-thick slices and then quarter slices. Cut nectarines into wedges. Cut bananas into chunks. Alternately thread pieces of fruit on the skewers.
- In a small bowl, stir together melted butter and remaining 2 teaspoons lime juice. Brush over kabobs.
- On charcoal grill: Oil the grill rack well. Grill kabobs, uncovered, directly over the coals for 6 to 8 minutes or until heated through, turning once or twice. On a gas grill: Follow the charcoal grilling directions, except close cover. Remove kabobs from the grill, place on serving plates, drizzle sauce over kabobs, and serve.
For another great Fourth of July dessert, check out our Quick Guide How to Make a Fourth of July Ice Cream Cake. Have fun, and happy grilling!
From The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Grilling by Don Mauer
