Grilled Peaches and Amaretti Sundae
As far as I’m concerned, an elegant dinner al fresco must end with a luscious dessert that brings on the “oohs” and “aahs”. I created this dessert last year when I was looking for an impressive way to end a dinner party. It is perfectly easy to prepare tableside, allowing your guests to marvel at its mouthwatering ingredients. With fresh local peaches playing the star role, the dessert is a play on hot and cold, creamy and crunchy. Like all Italian cooking, you must use ingredients of exceptional quality - vanilla ice cream, imported amaretti cookies, fresh peaches, imported Amarena cherries, and a splash of Amaretto Liqueur. If you really wish to elevate this dessert like my very talented sister, Susanna Fortino-Bozzo, then you’ll make your own homemade vanilla ice cream and amaretti cookies. Oohh! Aahh!
Ingredients
- ¼ packed brown sugar
- 6 fresh peaches
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ tsp cinnamon optional
- 2 cups lightly crushed amaretti cookies
- 6 pre-scooped vanilla ice cream frozen
- 6 Amarena cherries and syrup
- 6 tsp Amaretto liqueur optional
- Fresh mint for garnish
Instructions
- Pre-heat grill to high.
- Peel peaches and slice thickly.
- Place brown sugar in a medium-sized foil pan and place on grate. Close lid to allow sugar to melt. Do not burn.
- Then add sliced peaches and stir. Close lid and let cook, stirring often, until peaches are soft and syrup has thickened.
- Add butter and stir for a minute. Add cinnamon if using. Remove from BBQ and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, place cookies in a plastic bag and crush lightly.
- Place one or two scoops of ice cream in bag and shake. Each scoop should be encrusted with the crumbs. Use bag to embed pieces of cookies into ice cream.
- Re-shape into a scoop, if necessary. This step can be prepared in advance and stored in the freezer on a lined baking sheet and covered with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
- Place one scoop of encrusted ice cream in pretty bowl, cup, or glass. (I use a coupe-shaped champagne glass for extra special events.)
- Spoon warm peaches and a little syrup over top.
- Drizzle a little liqueur if using. Top with cherry and a little syrup. Garnish with mint.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
This recipe can be adapted to seasonal fruit and favourite cookies and liqueurs.
Try these combinations:
For another round of oohs and aahs, serve on top of a slice of pound cake, sponge cake, shortbread cake.
- apples with gingersnaps, vanilla ice cream and DeKuyper Buttershots
- blackberries, vanilla thins, vanilla ice cream and Cassis.
For another round of oohs and aahs, serve on top of a slice of pound cake, sponge cake, shortbread cake.