Grilled Pineapple With Whipped Cream Recipe

In wintertime and autumn, we're all in the mood for rich, heavy desserts that seem to warm us up from the inside out. Just a few months down the road, though, and we surely agree that summertime desserts are all about fruit. Pineapple, in particular, is a fruit that's perfectly suited to warmer weather. One of the best things about pineapple, besides its tart, refreshing flavor, and the realization that it plays well in all manner of recipes is the fact that it's sturdy enough that you can even cook it on the grill!

Grilled pineapple is delicious as-is and can even be used in savory dishes such as pork, chicken, or shrimp shish kebabs. When paired with a sweet topping, though, grilled pineapple transforms into a delicious dessert. Recipe developer Jaime Shelbert describes her grilled pineapple as having a "deeper, smokier flavor," than the uncooked fruit. In the final dish, she keeps it nice and simple by pairing it with a topping of sweetened whipped cream. This makes for an easy dessert that can be prepared in just a few in minutes if you've already got the grill fired up and some hungry eaters waiting for dessert.

The most important part of this recipe is, of course, the fresh pineapple, so be sure to pick a good one! A perfectly ripe pineapple will be yellow-gold in color as opposed to green, the color of an unripe pineapple, along with quite a few other unripe fruits, too. It will be firm but with just a slight bit of "give" around the spiky stem at the top of the fruit. Take a sniff around that stem, too (being careful not to poke yourself in the face with the stem, of course). If it smells fragrant, you've got a ripe pineapple on your hands. If it smells overly sweet or even a bit sour, then the fruit may have turned overripe.

In addition to the pineapple, you'll also need whipping cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and honey, as well as a small amount of oil for the grill. Shelbert used coconut oil but tells us "You could use any oil with a high smoke point." High smoke point oils include canola, peanut, or avocado oil. 

This recipe is also pretty easy to modify for certain dietary needs and preferences. For instance, if you prefer to keep things plant-based, Shelbert says this dessert "could easily be made vegan by omitting the honey and making the whip from canned full-fat coconut milk."

The main drawback with pineapple is the fact that they can be admittedly difficult to peel. That is, if you don't have some hints ahead of time. Shelbert shared with us a few of her best tips for easy -– okay, relatively easy –- pineapple preparation. First, she says, "Cut off the ends of the pineapple," then she suggests "standing it up vertically, [in order to] slice the skin off following the shape of the pineapple." Once the fruit is peeled, lay it on its side and slice the whole thing into ½-inch rings.

Shelbert did not core the pineapple she used to make this grilled fruit recipe, but she says that you can go ahead and core yours if you prefer. Don't toss out those pineapple cores and skins just yet, though! Instead, you could try your hand at making the fermented (and slightly boozy) Mexican drink called tepache, a light drink that's the perfect accompaniment to a backyard summer cookout.

After the pineapple has been peeled and sliced, it's time to make the whipped cream. This tasty treat is pretty easy to make, especially if you have a stand or hand mixer at the ready. That said, you can still make whipped cream by hand, though plan to add a few extra minutes and a bit of an arm workout to your cooking process if you go that route.

To make the whipped cream, pour the cream into a mixing bowl, then add the sugar and the vanilla extract. If you want to speed up the whipping time, you can pre-chill the bowl and even the beaters you'll be using by placing them in the fridge. Beat the cream on medium-high until soft peaks form, a process that should take about 2 to 3 minutes. Be careful not to overwhip the cream, as stiff peaks aren't quite as palatable here and, if you go even further, you'll end up making butter. When you're done. place the whipped cream back in the fridge while you prepare the grill.

Before you use your grill, whether it's gas or charcoal, you'll need to clean and preheat it. The best technique is to brush the grates using a grill brush or, barring that, a simple ball of aluminum foil while the grill is still cold. Then light the fire and let the grill heat up for 15 minutes. Brush the hot grates once more, then wipe away any soot with a damp cloth — a key move, unless you really want soot on your pineapple slices. As a last prep step, apply a light layer of oil to the grates so the pineapple won't stick during cooking.

Lay the pineapple slices across the grill grates and cook them until the fruit has softened, which should take 4 to 5 minutes. By this point, they should also have noticeable grill marks. Flip the pineapple slices and grill them for 2 to 3 minutes longer before removing them to a platter.

For each serving of grilled pineapple, place two slices on a plate. Drizzle the pineapple with honey, then top the whole thing off with a generous blop of sweetened whipped cream. Now, you're ready to enjoy this simple and delightful summer treat1

Shelbert tells us "I personally love the simplicity of this dessert as is," but she also allows that you could serve it with coconut and fresh herbs such as mint or basil as what she calls "a true nod to summer." She also suggests that this grilled pineapple dish could be "the perfect dessert following a grilled summer meal," perhaps something like grilled chicken or any other grilled main dish you can dream of this season.