5 Grilled Dessert Recipes for the Sweetest Cookout

It happens to be National Cake Decorating Day, so I've scoped out some delicious grilled dessert recipes. Yep, that's right, if you aren't in the know, grilling desserts is a new trend! Get the kids in on the action and I can promise a very s-weet ending to your next bbq or family cookout.  

1. Steven Raichlen's Grilled Pound Cake with Strawberry Salsa

Grilled poundcake by Steven Raichlen. Photo by Chris Bierlein.

I love this recipe because it can double as a dessert or breakfast recipe. (And if you aren't grilling breakfast yet, then you better wake up and check out all of Steven Raichlen's great grilled breakfast ideas!)

Serves: 8

For the strawberry salsa:

6 cups stemmed fresh strawberries, sliced or quartered

3 tablespoons thinly slivered fresh mint

1 to 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely diced (optional)

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, or more to taste

3 tablespoons granulated sugar, or more to taste

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur

1 teaspoon orange zest

For the cardamom whipped cream:

1 cup heavy (whipping) cream, well chilled

3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)

1/2 teaspoon finely ground cardamom

For the cake:

8 slices (each 3/4-inch thick) yellow pound cake, preferably Sara Lee brand (see Note below), thawed if frozen

8 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1/4 teaspoon finely ground cardamom

1. Make the strawberry salsa: Place the strawberries, mint, jalapeño(s), if using, orange juice, granulated sugar, Grand Marnier, and orange zest in a mixing bowl but do not mix. The salsa can be prepared to this stage up to 2 hours ahead, covered and refrigerated.
2. Make the cardamom whipped cream: Beat the cream to soft peaks in a chilled bowl using an electric mixer, hand-held beater, or whisk. Whisk in the confectioners' sugar and cardamom and beat until stiff peaks form. (Do not overbeat.) The whipped cream can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead and refrigerated, covered.
3. Light your Angara grill and heat to medium-high. Brush and oil the grill grate.
4. Lightly brush the cake slices on both sides with the melted butter mixture. Arrange the slices of cake on the grill at a diagonal to the bars of the grate and grill until lightly browned on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side, turning with a thin-bladed spatula. Transfer the grilled cake slices to a platter or plates.
5. Toss the strawberry salsa to mix. Taste for sweetness, adding more granulated sugar and/or orange juice as necessary. Spoon the salsa over the grilled cake. Top each portion with a dollop of cardamom whipped cream and serve at once.

Note: Rarely do I use prepared foods, preferring homemade when possible. But in my experience, Sara Lee pound cake is firmer than homemade pound cake and stands up better to grilling.

2. Snappy Gourmet's Mini Grilled Strawberry Shortcake Skewers

Mini Grilled Strawberry Shortcake Skewers from Snappy Gourmet

This is an easy and fun grilled dessert recipe that kids can help prepare and grill. Again, using a Sara Lee All Butter Pound Cake streamlines your prep time. Check out the recipe and instructions here on Snappy Gourmet. This recipe is perfect for a social grilling party with an iBBQ Angara grill table (the 6- and 8-seater tables have several grill sections, so you can turn off the one at the little kids' end of the table, and the grates come right out and pop into your dishwasher for easy cleaning).

3. Grilled Doughnut and Pear Sundae from Taste and Tell

Grilled Doughnut and Pear Sundae from Taste and Tell.

This is a great grilled dessert recipe for fall. Taste and Tell spotted it on Rachael Ray and shared these scrumptious comments and easy instructions: "First of all, you can't go wrong with doughnuts. But then you grill the doughnut? And then grill some pears, bringing in that perfect fall element? But wait that's not all. Then you get ice cream and caramel sauce. Sinful. And dangerous."

4. Cooking Light's Grilled Pineapple with Mint Sugar

Cooking Light's Grilled Pineapple with Mint Sugar. Photo by Hector Sanchez.

This grilled dessert is easy, low cal, but sophisticated too. Cooking Light says, "Chargrilled pineapple slices caramelize and become extra juicy, a worthy dessert on their own. Go one step further with a generous sprinkle of mint-lime sugar - it adds an incredible fragrance and a bit of crunch to every bite. This is delicious on its own or served with low-fat vanilla ice cream. This simple 3-ingredient dessert can be thrown together in less than 20 minutes and gives you the sweetness you crave without a lot of fat, calories, or added sugar." Grilled Pineapple with Mint Sugar Recipe

5. Steven Raichlen's Grilled Cinnamon Peaches

 

Grilled Cinnamon Peaches, one of Steven Raichlen's scrumtious grilled dessert recipes. Move over peach pie! This recipe from Steven Raichlen will wow every time and won't overwhelm the chef: Grilled Cinnamon Peaches

 

Tomorrow is World Food Day, so it would be a perfect time for you to revisit all of Steven Raichlen's Signature Recipes for iBBQ, right here on Barbie Q.  :)