Fruit on grill tastes sweeter

Something simple, like a grilled peach served with vanilla ice cream, raspberry sauce and a citrus cookie, makes a sensational ending to a summer barbecue. The flavor combination may seem grown up, but this fresh rendition of the classic peach melba will go down well with all ages.

Why grill a piece of fruit when you can simply slice it in half and serve it as is?

The answer is that grilling caramelizes the natural sugar of fruits, which makes them sweeter and more flavorful. It also softens their texture and helps fruits to release more juices. Stone fruits, such as peaches, nectarines and plums, do particularly well on the grill. They’re firm enough to be placed directly on the cooking grate and sturdy enough to remain intact when turned over for charring.

Fruits are apt to pick up unwanted flavors from the grill, so it’s especially important to clean the grate before placing the peaches on it. They’ll cook quickly, so a brisk, hot fire is best. Keep a close watch: A little smoke and charring are good, but the natural sugars in the peaches are prone to burning. Too much blackening will result in a bitter taste. As soon as grill marks appear, turn them over to finish cooking. The peaches are done when the flesh is soft and tender.

If you plan to make dinner on the grill as well as dessert, you’ll want to keep the fire hot enough to cook the peaches after the main entree is served and eaten. Since most of the components for the dessert – the ice cream, raspberry sauce and citrus crisps – can be purchased or prepared in advance, you will need to plan for just a few minutes of grill time.

Keeping the grill hot doesn’t pose a problem for gas grills because they can be easily turned off and then fired up again for dessert. Charcoal grills, however, call for planning.

Bruce Mattel, associate professor in culinary arts at the Culinary Institute of America, offers the following advice on keeping the fire hot while serving dinner: “Cover the grill and close the vents three-quarters to minimize air circulation. This should maintain the proper temperature to cook the peaches if you get them on the grill within a half an hour or so.

“Warm from the grill, the sweet, tender peaches provide a flawless complement to the cool ice cream and lemon-scented cookies,” he adds.

The following recipe has been adapted from the Culinary Institute of America’s “Grilling” cookbook (Lebhar-Friedman, 2006, $35).

Grilled Peaches

4 ripe, firm peaches, cut into halves and pits removed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 cups store-bought vanilla ice cream

1 cup Raspberry Sauce (recipe follows)

8 Citrus Crisps (recipe follows)

Preheat a gas grill to high. If you are using a charcoal grill, build a fire and let it burn down until the coals are glowing red with a light coating of white ash. Spread the coals in an even bed. Clean the cooking grate.

Toss the peaches with the sugar and lemon juice.

Grill the peaches over direct heat until tender in the middle and well marked, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Serve the peaches over the vanilla ice cream, topped with the Raspberry Sauce, and garnished with the Citrus Crisps.

Yield: 8 servings

Nutrition information for 3-ounce serving of grilled peaches only: 60 calories, no fat, 1 gram protein, 15 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 2 grams dietary fiber, no sodium.

Raspberry Sauce

1 pound raspberries, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup granulated sugar, or more to taste

1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to taste

Combine the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve. Add additional sugar and/or lemon juice to taste, if desired.

Serve immediately, or store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Yield: 2 cups

Nutrition information per 1.25-ounce serving: 40 calories, no fat, no protein, 10 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 2 grams dietary fiber, no sodium.

Citrus Crisps

1 cup softened unsalted butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1/2 cup grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Cream together the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla extract by hand or using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer until very smooth and light, about 3 minutes.

Add the oats, flour and lemon zest, and mix on low speed until just combined, scraping down the bowl as necessary to blend evenly. Form the dough into 1 1/2 -inch balls (about 1 tablespoon of dough per ball) and place in even rows about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet pans. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.

Bake until the edges are light golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely before serving or storing in airtight containers.

Yield: 32 cookies

Nutrition information per cookie: 90 calories, 6 grams fat (60 percent fat calories), 1 gram protein, 9 grams carbohydrate, 15 milligrams cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 35 milligrams sodium.