Whole roasted baby pineapple with rum and chilli
This fruity, sticky dessert packed with flavour – including chilli! – is served with frozen Greek yoghurt to cut through the sweetness.
Ingredients
For the frozen Greek yoghurt
- 500g/1lb 2oz Greek yoghurt
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú caster sugar
- 1 lemon, juice only
- 6 finely sliced mint leaves, blanched and dipped in cold water
For the whole roasted baby pineapple
- 1 baby pineapple, peeled and cored, spiky top reserved
- 250g/9oz caster sugar
- 100ml/3½fl oz dark rum
- 1 star anise
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds removed, reserve the pod
- 1 red chilli, chopped
- 2cm/1in piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 3 lime leaves, finely sliced
- 1 lime, juice only
Method
To make the frozen yoghurt, whisk the yoghurt with the sugar and lemon juice to taste. Stir in the mint leaves. Churn until smooth and freeze in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions.
To make the roasted pineapple, preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3.
Heat the sugar in a medium frying pan, until dark and caramelised. Do not stir while caramelising the sugar – hold the handle of the pan and gently tilt the pan off the heat to distribute colour evenly as the sugar caramelises.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan and stir well. Put the pineapple in a small roasting dish and pour over the caramel. Cover with foil and roast (basting from time to time) for 60–80 minutes, or until soft.
To serve, remove the pineapple from the oven and stick the green spiky bit back on top with the frozen Greek yoghurt alongside.