Grilled Peaches with Brown Sugar Butter and Vanilla Ice Cream
Peach halves grilled over direct heat until charred and tender, then finished with a brown sugar butter glaze and a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream. A warm, caramel-toned dessert that comes together on the barbecue in minutes.
- Total
- 13 min
- Prep 5 · Cook 8
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Grilling · Caramelizing
- Sweet
- Quick
- Barbecue
Instructions
-
Heat the barbecue to medium-high direct heat, about 200°C. While it heats, cut the peaches in half and twist out the pits.
~4 min
Medium-high direct heat chars the surface while cooking the fruit through without turning it to mush.
-
Melt 20 g butter in a small heatproof bowl set at the edge of the barbecue grate, away from direct flames, until fully liquid, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 tbsp brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon to make a smooth glaze.
~1 min
Melting the butter and sugar together first creates an even glaze that clings instead of pooling.
Caramelizing Cook the brown sugar butter glaze until it bubbles and darkens slightly. Stop before it burns, which turns the glaze bitter rather than sweet.
-
Brush the cut sides of the peach halves generously with the brown sugar butter glaze.
~1 min
-
Place the peaches cut side down on the barbecue grate over direct heat. Grill until deeply marked and slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and brush the tops with any remaining glaze. Grill 2 more minutes until the flesh is tender and the glaze bubbles.
~4 min
Cut side down first gives uninterrupted contact with the hot grate, building caramelized char before the flesh softens.
Grill the peaches cut side down first and do not move them until they release easily from the grate, about 3 minutes. That untouched contact is what builds the caramelized char.
If your peaches are firm, add 1 minute per side. Ripe but not mushy peaches give the best contrast with the cold ice cream.
Grilling Place cut side down and leave it untouched until it releases easily, about 3 minutes. Moving it too early tears the flesh and prevents deep char marks.
Caramelizing Cook the brown sugar butter glaze until it bubbles and darkens slightly. Stop before it burns, which turns the glaze bitter rather than sweet.
-
Transfer the grilled peaches to a plate and top with 2 cups of vanilla ice cream. Serve immediately while the peaches are still warm.
~1 min
Serving immediately keeps the contrast between warm peaches and cold ice cream intact.