June 28, 2017 | Carolyn Pennington and Frank Barton

UConn Health Chefs Offer Grilling Guidelines and Delicious Dessert for Next BBQ

Just in time for your July 4 barbeque, UConn Health Chefs have created a delicious dessert designed to cook on your grill and also offer some grilling guidelines for your next cookout.

UConn Health Sous Chef Jamie Grzyb and Executive Chef Richard Duclos created a dessert especially for grilling. (Photo by Frank Barton)

Just in time for your July 4 barbeque, UConn Health Executive Chef Richard Duclos and Sous Chef Jamie Grzyb have come up with a delicious dessert designed to cook on your grill. Watch them create Grilled Golden Pineapple Upside Down Torte (recipe below). But before you fire up that grill, the chefs offer some valuable do’s and don’ts to safely prepare for your next cookout.

Grilled Golden Pineapple Upside Down Torte with Maple Brown Sugar Glaze and Rum

Grilled Golden Pineapple Upside Down Torte

Makes: 6 portions

1 peeled golden pineapple                               4 tbsp butter

½ sheet yellow cake                                          1 oz. rum

2 oz. maple syrup                                               2 oz. heavy cream

1 cup brown sugar                                              6 scoops vanilla ice cream

Preparation

  • Heat the grill to 350⁰ Fahrenheit.
  • Brush the grill surface until it’s clear of debris.
  • Soak a paper towel with your oil of preference and coat the grill. Discard the paper towel.

Cooking

  • Cut the pineapple into 6 equal rounds. Using a small round cutter, preferably the same size as the pineapple core, remove the core.
  • Use a large round cutter cut 6 individual cake discs.
  • In a small cast iron pan, mix the maple syrup, brown sugar, butter and rum. Bring the mixture to a boil and take off grill.
  • Brush each side of the pineapple rounds with the mixture and use tongs to place the pineapple on hot grill.
  • After 30 seconds, rotate pineapple 90⁰ degrees for an additional 30 seconds to create the crisscross marks. Flip the pineapple over and grill for 30 seconds. Remove pineapple from grill and let rest on separate pan.
  • Return the cast iron pan to grill and add heavy cream. Bring to a boil and remove from grill.

Plating

  • Place a disc of cake in the center of the plate; place the grilled pineapple on top of cake.
  • Add a scoop ice cream on top of the pineapple. Pour heavy cream sauce over the ice cream and garnish with toasted coconuts.