Fruit and Sweet Grills

Most people think of grilling only savoury foods but you can use your grill for all kinds of sweet things and desserts too.

Here is a selection of really delicious creations to set your taste buds singing. And, best of all, most of them take only a few minutes to prepare and cook.


Butterscotch Bananas

Bananas and butterscotch are firm favourites. These bananas are griddled until they are nicely browned but still with some texture, then flooded with a sweet, buttery, slightly lemony sauce that tastes just heavenly.

Serves 4

4 large firm bananas
100 g/4 oz/½ cup butter
175 g/6 oz/¾ cup light brown sugar
45 ml/3 tbsp lemon juice
60 ml/4 tbsp double (heavy) cream
To serve:
Greek-style plain yoghurt

  1. Cut the bananas in half lengthways, then in half across the middle.
  2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and brush a little over the bananas.
  3. Preheat the grill.
  4. Add the sugar and lemon juice to the butter. Heat until the sugar melts, then boil for 1 minute. Stir in the cream.
  5. Lay the bananas on the grill and cook for 1-1½ minutes until griddle-browned but still holding their shape.
  6. Transfer to warm plates, spoon the butterscotch sauce over and serve with Greek-style plain yoghurt.


Crusty Strawberry and Apricot Kebabs

You can experiment with other fruits, such as pineapple cubes, plums or even chunks of kiwi fruit, for these simple but lovely kebabs. It's the sweet, buttery bread that makes them so delicious.

Serves 4

4 thick slices of French bread, cut into quarters
100 g/4 oz/½ cup butter, melted
8 strawberries, hulled
4 apricots, halved and stoned (pitted)
Caster (superfine) sugar, for dusting
To serve:
Vanilla ice cream

  1. Preheat the grill.
  2. Dip the bread cubes in some of the melted butter. Toss the fruit in the remaining butter.
  3. Thread the bread alternately with the fruit on wooden skewers that have been soaked in cold water.
  4. Lay the kebabs on the grill. Cook on the open grill for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally until lightly griddle-browned.
  5. Dust with caster sugar and serve straight away with a scoop or two of ice cream.


Grilled Papaya with Lime

This is a very popular flavour combination. The lime brings out the full flavour of the papaya and, when cooked on the griddle, the two taste just wonderful. It's a quick dish to make but looks fabulous so is good enough for any occasion.

Serves 2

A little sunflower oil
15 g/½ oz/1 tbsp butter
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1 small papaya, halved and black seeds removed
To serve:
Vanilla ice cream and almond thin biscuits (cookies)

  1. Oil the grill and preheat it.
  2. Mash the butter with the lime zest and juice.
  3. Spread the papaya with the lime butter. Place on the grill, close the lid and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Transfer to warm plates. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and serve straight away with almond thins.


Lemon Cheesecake Slices

Cheesecakes are always popular but these are much easier to make than the real thing and perfect for a last-minute end to a meal. Serve them as a dessert, as a teatime treat or even with coffee in the morning. Try them with different sweet breads too.

Makes 4

200 g/7 oz/scant 1 cup Mascarpone cheese
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
60 ml/4 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar, plus extra for dusting
30 ml/2 tbsp sultanas (golden raisins)
8 slices of raisin bread
Butter or margarine, for spreading

  1. Preheat the grill and turn to the lowest setting.
  2. Mix the cheese with the lemon zest, sugar and sultanas. Sharpen with a little of the lemon juice.
  3. Spread the slices of bread on one side with butter or margarine. Sandwich together with the cheese mixture, not quite to the edges.
  4. Place on the grill, close the lid and cook for 3 minutes until griddle-browned.
  5. Sprinkle with a little more sugar before serving.


Fresh Pineapple with Honey Nut Drizzle and Lemon Crème Fraîche

Fresh pineapple is both sweet and tangy and when it is cooked on a griddle, the flavour bursts into life. The honey nut sauce adds texture and richness and the lemon crème fraîche is just the perfect, cool accompaniment.

Serves 4

1 pineapple
50 g/2 oz/¼ cup butter
60 ml/4 tbsp clear honey
50 g/2 oz/½ cup toasted chopped nuts
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 small lemon
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup crème fraîche
15 ml/1 tbsp icing (confectioners') sugar

  1. Cut the top and base off the pineapple. Cut into eight thin slices and cut off all the skin.
  2. Preheat the grill.
  3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and brush a little over the slices of pineapple.
  4. Mix the honey, nuts and lemon juice into the butter and heat through stirring.
  5. Mix the crème fraîche with the lemon zest and icing sugar. Chill until ready to use.
  6. Place the pineapple on the grill (do it in two batches if the pineapple is very large). Close the lid and cook for 2 minutes until the sugar is just caramelising on the surface. Transfer to warm plates.
  7. Drizzle the honey nut sauce over and serve with the lemon crème fraîche.


Quick-cook Bananas with Coffee Liqueur

This dessert may not be as pretty as some, but it tastes delicious. When you slit the cooked banana, you must take care not to cut through the bottom skin. Then you can ease it open so that the liqueur soaks into the fruit rather than running all over the plate!

Serves 4

4 bananas
60 ml/4 tbsp coffee liqueur
To serve:
4 scoops of coffee ice cream

  1. Oil the grill, then preheat it.
  2. Lay the unpeeled bananas on the grill, close the lid and cook for 4-5 minutes until blackened on the outside and soft when squeezed gently.
  3. Remove from the grill and place on plates. Split each one along one edge and carefully open. Pour the coffee liqueur into the slit.
  4. Serve with a scoop of coffee ice cream on the side.


Vanilla and Walnut Cheesecakes

These are toasted teacakes but with a big difference! They are filled with a rich, sweet vanilla cheese, laced with currants and walnuts, then griddled until warm and slightly crisp on the outside. A lovely dessert or teatime treat.

Makes 4

200 g/7 oz/scant 1 cup medium-fat soft white cheese
60 ml/4 tbsp icing (confectioners') sugar, plus extra for dusting
25 g/1 oz/¼ cup chopped walnuts
25 g/1 oz/3 tbsp currants
4 ml/¾ tsp vanilla essence (extract)
4 teacakes
25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp softened butter or margarine

  1. Preheat the grill, then turn to the lowest setting.
  2. Beat the cheese with the sugar, walnuts, currants and vanilla.
  3. Cut a thin slice off the top of each teacake and pull out some of the insides, leaving a 5 mm/¼ in wall.
  4. Crumble the filling you removed and mix into the cheese mixture. Spoon this mixture into the teacakes and replace the lids.
  5. Spread all over the outsides with the butter. If you have an adjustable grill, lower the lid until it just rests on the teacakes. If not, lower the lid and support the clip on a cork or similar heat-resistant object, so the lid is just resting on the teacakes. Cook for 4 minutes until griddle-browned.
  6. Dust with a little sifted icing sugar before serving.


Apple and Cinnamon Turnovers

Cinnamon is the perfect spice for apples - it brings out the flavour beautifully. This delicious desert is easily put together. You can either make your own pastry or use ready-made shortcrust from the supermarket.

Serves 4

2 cooking (tart) apples, peeled, quartered, cored and sliced
15 ml/1 tbsp golden (light corn) syrup
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground cinnamon
225 g/8 oz shortcrust pastry (basic pie crust)
To serve:
Custard

  1. Put the cooking apples in a saucepan with 15 ml/1 tbsp water. Cover and cook gently for 3 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the apples begin to soften. Stir in the golden syrup and cinnamon and leave to cool.
  2. Roll out the pastry and cut into four 18 cm/7 in squares. Spoon the apple mixture into the centres of the squares. Dampen the edges. Take one corner of each pastry square and fold it over diagonally to the opposite point, to form triangles. Press the edges well together, then fold over each edge to seal more thoroughly. Chill until ready to cook.
  3. Preheat the grill. Put the turnovers on the grill. If you have an adjustable grill, lower the lid so it just sits on the turnovers. If not, lower the lid and support it on a cork or similar flame-resistant object so the lid just rests on the pastry. Cook for 6 minutes until griddle-browned and cooked through.
  4. Serve with custard (and more warmed syrup if you have a sweet tooth).


Griddled Chocolatines with Caramelised Pear Quarters

These little chocolate croissants cook beautifully on the grill, and they marry perfectly with pear quarters, grilled until golden and caramelised with just a sprinkling of sugar. They are best served straight away - you won't be able to resist them anyway!

Serves 4

A little sunflower oil
2 pears, cut into quarters
25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp butter, melted
20 ml/4 tsp light brown sugar
4 mini chocolatines
Bottled chocolate sauce for ice cream

  1. Oil the grill and preheat it. Brush the pears with a little of the butter and sprinkle with the sugar.
  2. Place on the grill, close the lid but don't clip it together. Cook for 30 seconds, then clip it shut and cook for 1½ minutes. Remove from the grill and keep warm.
  3. Brush the chocolatines with the remaining butter. Lay them on the grill and cook on the open grill for 1-2 minutes on each side, pressing down lightly with a spatula, until crisp.
  4. Place the chocolatines on warm plates with two pear quarters on each. Drizzle the fruit with a little chocolate sauce and serve straight away.


Banana, Chocolate and Coconut Turnovers

These are best cooked on an adjustable grill. If you use a fixed-plate one, support the lid with a cork or similar heat-resistant object. If you close the lid, the end product will be flat and the filling might ooze, although it will still taste good.

Serves 4

1 banana
30 ml/2 tbsp plain (semi-sweet) chocolate spread
15 ml/1 tbsp desiccated (shredded) coconut
225 g/8 oz shortcrust pastry (basic pie crust)
15 ml/1 tbsp icing (confectioners') sugar, for dusting
To serve:
Cream

  1. Mash the banana, chocolate spread and coconut together.
  2. Roll out the pastry and cut into four 18 cm/7 in squares. Spoon the banana mixture into the centres of the squares. Dampen the edges.
  3. Take one corner of each pastry square and fold it over diagonally to the opposite point, to form triangles. Press the edges well together, then fold them over to seal more completely. Chill until ready to cook.
  4. Preheat the grill.
  5. Put the turnovers on the grill. If you have an adjustable grill, lower the lid so it just sits on the turnovers. If not, lower the lid and support it on a cork or similar heat-resistant object so that the lid just rests on the pastry (paste). Cook for 6 minutes until griddle-browned and cooked through.
  6. Dust with sifted icing sugar and serve warm with cream.


Black Forest Bites

These little inverted trifles taste absolutely delicious - especially with a dollop of clotted or whipped cream on the side. For added effect, you could grate some chocolate or crumble a Flake bar round the edges of the plates before serving.

Makes 4

4 trifle sponges, split into halves
Butter or margarine, for spreading
30 ml/2 tbsp plain (semi-sweet) chocolate spread
30 ml/2 tbsp black cherry jam (conserve)
15 ml/1 tbsp icing (confectioners') sugar
To serve:
Clotted or whipped cream

  1. Preheat the grill and turn to the lowest setting.
  2. Spread the sponges on the uncut sides with butter or margarine. Spread two with chocolate spread, then jam, on the cut sides. Top with the other sponge halves, buttered-sides out.
  3. Place on the grill. Cook on the open grill for 2 minutes, pressing down lightly with a spatula. Turn over and cook for 1½-2 minutes until griddle-browned and the chocolate is just melting.
  4. Transfer to small plates and dust with the sifted icing sugar.
  5. Serve with clotted or whipped cream.


Syrup-soaked Crumpets

A touch of nostalgia here - hot crumpets for tea - but, instead of toasting them on the open fire, you can cook them, ready-buttered and sweetened, on your grill. Too much syrup may not be good for you, but everyone deserves a treat now and again!

Serves 4

20 g/¾ oz/1½ tbsp butter, softened
30 ml/2 tbsp golden (light corn) syrup
4 crumpets
60 ml/4 tbsp thick Greek-style plain yoghurt (optional)

  1. Preheat the grill.
  2. Beat the butter with the syrup and spread over the crumpets.
  3. Place on the grill. If you have an adjustable grill, lower the lid so that it rests gently on top of the crumpets and cook for 2-3 minutes. If not, cook on the open grill for 2 minutes, then turn the crumpets over and cook for a further 2 minutes, pressing down lightly with a spatula.
  4. Transfer to plates and serve topped with spoonfuls of plain Greek-style yoghurt, if liked.


Griddled Apple Slices with Lemon and Syrup Sauce

A simple dessert for when you don't know what else to serve, this is easily put together from storecupboard ingredients. It is important to use a crisp green apple - the red ones are too soft and don't have enough flavour for cooking.

Serves 4

3 Granny Smith apples
20 g/¾ oz/1½ tbsp butter, softened
90 ml/6 tbsp golden (light corn) syrup
30 ml/2 tbsp lemon juice
To serve:
Cream, custard or plain yoghurt

  1. Preheat the grill.
  2. Cut the tops and bases off the apples and cut each fruit into four thick slices. Remove the cores.
  3. Smear on both sides with the butter.
  4. Place on the grill, close the lid and cook for 3 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, heat the syrup and lemon juice in a saucepan until hot but not boiling, stirring all the time.
  6. Transfer the apple slices to warm plates and pour the syrup sauce over.
  7. Serve with cream, custard or plain yoghurt.