Grilled Peach Shortcake

Fresh peaches are one of summer's great pleasures, but put them on a hot grill and something wonderful happens — the natural sugars caramelise, the flesh softens, and you get this gorgeous smoky-sweet depth that eating them raw just can't match. Paired with slices of golden pound cake, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and a drizzle of honey, this is the kind of effortless summer pudding that looks far more impressive than it is. It's a brilliant way to end a barbecue when you've already got the grill going.

Ingredients

• 4 ripe peaches, halved and stoned
• 1 tbsp (15ml) rapeseed oil or a neutral oil, for brushing
• 1 tbsp (15ml) honey, plus extra to drizzle
• 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
• 1 tsp (5g) caster sugar
• 8 slices of pound cake or madeira cake (roughly 2cm thick)
• Vanilla ice cream, to serve
• Fresh mint leaves, to garnish (optional)

Method

1. Preheat your gas grill to a medium-high heat — around 200–220°C. Give the grates a good clean and oil them lightly to stop the fruit sticking.
2. Halve the peaches and remove the stones. Brush the cut faces lightly with rapeseed oil, then drizzle over the honey and sprinkle with a little caster sugar. The sugar helps the caramelisation along nicely.
3. Place the peaches cut-side down on the grill. Leave them alone for 3–4 minutes — you're looking for good grill marks and that lovely golden colour. Flip them carefully and grill for another 2–3 minutes on the skin side until they're tender all the way through. They should feel soft when you gently press them but still hold their shape.
4. While the peaches are on their last couple of minutes, lay the cake slices on the grill too. Toast them for about 1 minute per side — you just want a bit of colour and a slight crunch on the outside.
5. To serve, place two slices of grilled cake on each plate, top with two warm peach halves, add a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, and drizzle with honey. Scatter over a few fresh mint leaves if you like. Serve immediately — the contrast between the warm fruit and cold ice cream is the whole point.

Originally published by Bull BBQ. Adapted for UK audiences by Cedar Kitchen in the Garden.