Your grill can do so much more than cook burgers and hot dogs. Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis shows how adding heat to fruit can bring out natural sugars in creative summertime desserts like grilled fruit skewers and mangoes and raspberries in prosecco syrup.
Recipe: Giada's grilled fruit (on this page) Recipe: Mangoes and raspberries in prosecco syrup (on this page)
Grilling fruit is a wonderful way to enhance its sweet flavor. The heat from the grill brings out the natural sugars in the fruit to create a sugary crust. The type of fruit you use is up to you (figs are also great cooked this way), but these are some of the ones I like most. The alternating colors make the skewers especially pretty.
Spray the grill rack with nonstick spray and prepare a charcoal or gas grill for medium-high heat or preheat a ridged grill pan over medium-high heat. Thread one piece of each fruit on each of six skewers so that the cut sides line up and lay flat. Sprinkle the sugar over the cut sides of the fruit.
Let them stand until the sugar dissolves, about 10 minutes. Place the fruit skewers on the grill cut side down. Grill the fruit until it is heated through and caramelized, about 5 minutes. Place one fruit skewer on each plate and serve with a scoop of ice cream if you like.
Serves 6
For the syrup: In a medium saucepan, bring the prosecco, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, star anise and cinnamon stick to a boil, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat, until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat and simmer for 35 minutes until the mixture has reduce by half.
Add the mango and raspberries to the syrup and allow the mixture to cool for 1 1/2 hours. Using a slotted spoon, remove the fruit and spoon into serving bowls. Remove the cinnamon stick and star anise and discard. Pour the syrup into a pitcher. Refrigerate the fruit and syrup until ready to serve.
For the cream: In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream at high speed until thick. Add the sugar and continue to beat until the cream holds stiff peaks. Add the lemon zest and mix until just combined.
To serve: Place a dollop of cream on top of the fruit and drizzle with the prosecco syrup.
Yield: 4 servings. Prep time: 8 minutes; cook time: 35 minutes; inactive prep time: 1 hour and 30 minutes.
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