Spiced grilled pineapple with maple sesame brittle

Make this delicious dessert the next time you have a barbecue. After the coals have died down a little, char some pineapple and serve with our brilliant brittle

  • Prep:15 mins
    Cook:20 mins
    plus cooling and 30 mins marinating
  • Serves 4
  • Easy

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 486
  • fat 30g
  • saturates 14g
  • carbs 50g
  • sugars 48g
  • fibre 3g
  • protein 3g
  • salt 1.1g

Ingredients

  • 2 limes, zested and juiced
  • pinch ground ginger
  • pinch mixed spice
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 medium ripe pineapple
  • vegetable oil, for grilling
  • small handful Thai basil or mint leaves and thick Greek yogurt or frozen yogurt, to serve
  • 25g maple syrup
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 100g butter
  • 50g sesame seeds
  • ½ tsp sea salt flakes

Tip

Brilliant brittle

Maple sesame brittle is deliciously sweet and nutty – it works wonderfully with spiced grilled pineapple, or break into shards and use to top cakes, bash in a pestle and mortar and sprinkle over porridge or ice cream, or even sprinkle over pumpkin soup. Smash shop-bought sesame brittle for an easy alternative.

Method

  1. To make the brittle, line a heavy baking tray with parchment, and put the maple syrup, sugar, butter and 25ml water in a heavy-based saucepan. Stir until the sugar has melted, then leave to bubble on a medium heat for 15 mins or until dark golden brown. Stir in the sesame seeds and sea salt flakes, and stir briefly before pouring onto the lined tray. Working carefully so you don’t touch the sugar and burn yourself, spread out into a thin layer. Leave to cool and harden.

  2. Mix the lime juice and most of the lime zest with the ground ginger, mixed spice and maple syrup. Top and tail the pineapple, cut away the skin and any black marks from the flesh, then cut into 1cm slices. Toss with the lime and maple mix, then leave for at least 30 mins to marinate.

  3. Wait until the embers are low on a barbecue (the ideal time is after you’ve cooked a main) or heat a griddle pan to hot. Lightly oil the grill bars or griddle pan to prevent the fruit from sticking, and grill the pineapple for 1-2 mins on each side until golden and lightly charred. Cut into bite-sized shards, then transfer to a platter while you cook the rest.

  4. Finely slice the larger basil or mint leaves and keep the smaller leaves whole. Bash the brittle into pieces, and serve scattered over the charred pineapple with the herbs and a drizzle of the marinade. Scatter the remaining lime zest over the yogurt or frozen yogurt and serve on the side.

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