Tag

dessert

BBQ Cedar or Alder Plank Pears

By Cedar Plank Recipes, Dessert, Fruit, Recipes
Grilled pears are an easy side dish at a barbecue or better yet, a delicious dessert when paired with ice cream, whipped cream or frozen yoghurt.

This easy and oh so tasty recipe of pears grilled on a Cedar or Alder gourmet grilling plank is sure to impress.

It gently cooks the fruit, and a light sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon gives the pears its perfect finish.

The gourmet grilling plank protects the fruit from the heat and adds a subtle wood and smoky flavour.

Preparation: 5 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Ready in: 50 minutes
Serves 4

Step 1:

Preheat a smoker or closed grill to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

Step 2:

Clean the pears then slice carefully downwards to create 6 even thickness slices.

Step 3:

Lay all the slices out then brush with the butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar. Flip the pears then repeat.

Step 4:

A cold or preheated plank may be used. Lay the pears out in a decorative fashion of your choice, such as in portion servings.

Step 5:

Place in the preheated barbecue for 35 minutes.

Serve warm with fresh cream, mascarpone, ice cream or frozen yoghurt and enjoy!

June 19, 2024
bananas in a grilling wrap

Natural Wood Wrapped Smoky Bananas with Chocolate & Pistachios

By Cedar Wrap Recipes, Dessert, Fruit, Recipes
Sweet tooth anyone? Make your dessert impressive with cedar wraps! Grilled fruit, like these bananas, with chocolate and ice cream has to be one of the simplest yet delectable desserts out there. It’s super easy to do. You don’t even need a kitchen. It’s a great way to use up bananas that are starting to get ripe.

Cedar wrap bananas with chocolate and pistachios – Serves 4

You’ll need:

4 cedar wood wraps with twine
•          25 g shelled pistachios
•          10 g grated coconut
•          100 g dark chocolate
•          4 not too ripe bananas
•          vanilla ice cream

bananas in a grilling wrap

Step 1:
Set your BBQ to 120°C. In the meantime, finely chop the pistachios and mix with the grated coconut. Break the chocolate into pieces and melt au bain-marie.

Step 2:
Peel the bananas, spread the melted chocolate all over them and sprinkle with the pistachio mix. Wrap each banana in a cedar wood wrap and tie with a piece of twine.

Step 3:
Place the wrapped bananas on the grid and close the lid. Allow the bananas to cook for about 10 minutes.

Step 4:
Remove the wrapped bananas from the barbeque and serve while still warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Instead of pistachios and coconut, you can sprinkle the bananas with cinnamon and brown sugar instead. The sugar will melt and caramelize on the grill. Instead of ice cream, you can serve it with frozen yogurt instead. Whichever way you choose, it’ll be an impressive, fun and flavourful dessert!

December 13, 2021
Camembert on a grilling plank

Grilled Camembert or Brie Smoked on a Natural Wood Plank

By Cedar Plank Recipes, Cheese, Recipes

Looking for an appetiser that’s easy to make but will leave your guests talking for days? When you want a little more excitement than what you’d get from simply serving cheese and crackers, make this cheesy, gooey, slightly spicy surprise that’s ready to serve in less than 20 minutes.

Both Camembert and brie are perfect for grilling. Both cheeses have an earthy flavour and aroma. Brie is milder with a creamy, buttery taste, while Camembert is a little deeper, more earthy and intense. Fancy but easy, this cedar wood grilled French cheese delight is a perfect happy hour food for your next dinner party.

Cedar Planked Camembert or Brie – Serves 3 to 4 as an appetiser

You’ll need:

  • 1 cedar wood grilling plank
  • 1 whole small camembert or brie cheese
  • 3 tablespoons pepper jelly, tomato jam, or apricot jam
  • 1 to 2 large jalapeño peppers
  • Grilled bread or crackers for dipping

Step 1:
Set up your grill for smoke-roasting (indirect grilling) and preheat it to medium-high, no more than 180C. Place the plank directly on the grill grate and grill until it’s singed on both sides. Set aside and let it cool (this is optional, but it gives you a lot more flavour).

Step 2:
Using a sharp knife, score a deep cross or a crosshatch pattern on the top of the cheese so the air can escape while cooking.

Step 3:
Place the cheese in the centre of the plank and spread the top with the jam or jelly, using the back of a spoon. Slice the jalapeños longways ad place them on top so the slices overlap to make a decorative pattern.

Step 4:
Place the plank on the grill away from direct heat and smoke-roast the cheese until the top browns, the sides are soft, and it’s beginning to melt. That should take no more than 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 5:
Serve the grilled camembert or brie on the plank hot off the grill with grilled bread slices or some fancy crackers. Vegetable sticks are a good pairing, too.

Serve this deliciousness with a glass of red or white French wine, or opt for a quality New Zealand vino as it’s just as good. Trust us, it’d be hard to find an appetiser that’s tastier than this.

July 7, 2021
Grilled peaches on a cedar plank on the bbq

Peaches Smoked on a Natural Wood Plank

By Cedar Plank Recipes, Dessert, Fruit, Recipes

Who said that cedar plank grilling is for fish and meat fans only? This versatile style of cooking can be used for sweet treats, too! How does peaches with mascarpone, pistachios, and honey with a sweet woodsy flavour sound? If you’ve never grilled fruit before, give it a try.

Grilling fruit is great way to enhance the naturally sweet flavour as the heat from the grill gives the outer edges a beautiful touch of caramelisation. Do it on a cedar plank and you’ll have a delicious dessert that’s easy to prepare with a stunning presentation.

Cedar plank peaches – Serves 8

You’ll need:

  • 4 peaches, halved and pits removed
  • A little oil
  • Your cedar wood planks (soaked)
  • ½ cup mascarpone cheese
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ½ cup chopped pistachio nuts
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Step 1:

Soak your cedar wood plank for at least 20 minutes and heat the grill or oven to 230 C.

Step 2:

Halve the peaches and remove their seeds. Put the hales on the cedar plank, brush then with a little bit of oil and grill until golden brown. They will be cooked through and nicely smoked in about 30 minutes.

Step 3:

Place them on the dessert plates for serving and place one tbsp mascarpone, a drizzle of honey, 1 tbsp of chopped pistachios and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon on top. It’s that easy.

This dessert is a spectacular finish to a great dinner, and the recipe works well with any type of stone fruit. When those are out of season, you could try it with Nashi pears instead. For a dairy-free version, you can swap out the mascarpone with coconut yoghurt. Deliciousness is guaranteed.

July 7, 2021
Cheese on a cedar grilling plank

Brie with Prune Rosemary Sauce Smoked on a Natural Wood Plank

By Cedar Plank Recipes, Cheese, Recipes

If you’ve never tried baking brie before, you’ve got to try it! It’s the easiest thing to do and it becomes all melty and yum. A cedar plank is the perfect foundation for this gooey appetizer. It infuses a smoky flavour into the cheese and doubles as a rustic serving tray.

The dried plums infuse more flavour while the rosemary along with barbecue sauce adds just enough tang to balance it all out. The rind of the brie acts as an organic container until the flesh is pierced to release the warmed cheese, flooding the cedar plank with its creamy goodness.

Cedar Planked Brie topped with Dried Plum Rosemary Sauce – serves 3-4

You’ll need:

  • 200g dried plums
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup barbecue sauce
  • 1 tsp fresh chopped rosemary
  • 2 brie cheese wheels

Step 1:
Soak your cedar plank for at least an hour and preheat the grill.

Step 2:
Place the dried plums and water in a food processor until blended. Add the maple syrup and barbecue sauce and blend until smooth and well combined.

Step 3:
Place the sauce into a small saucepan and stir in the chopped rosemary. Heat it slowly through until it’s simmering, then simmer for 10 more minutes.

Step 4:
Place the brie on the soaked plank and place on the hot grill and cook for 8-10 minutes.

Step 5:
Add the warmed sauce to the top of the cheese and allow to sit on grill a few more minutes.

Step 6:
Remove the cedar plank from grill and allow the cheese to sit a few minutes before serving.

Serve this gooey goodness with your favourite crackers or bread for dipping. If you can’t find dried plums or if the real thing is out of season, you can still make this fabulous dish. Just use a store-bought chutney instead. It works well as an entrée but can also be served as a scrumptious cheeseboard for dessert. It is rich, velvety and delicious.

July 7, 2021