Grilled Peaches over Ice Cream: the Perfect Summer Dessert

I had big plans for tonight. Big baking plans. I was going to bake two different types of tarte tatin, make jam and celebrate the beautiful peaches, blueberries, and tomatoes I picked up at local markets this week. But the weather was so nice, finally not too hot or humid, that we just lingered in the neighborhood pool until the sun began to set.



Dinner became a perfect summer meal of steaks on the grill and fresh corn on the cob. I was bringing the plates in to cobble together some dessert when I was inspired by the blushing pile of peaches on the table. I selected the two best looking ones, cut them in half, tossed them in a quick mix of oil, honey, and balsamic vinegar, and threw them on the grill.



Less than five minutes later, Steve and I were sharing the warm, caramelized peaches topped with some dulce de leche ice cream. Every bite was an explosion of summer sweetness, a simple yet delicious dessert.



Grilled Summer Peaches

Ingredients

2 peaches, pitted and cut in half

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons of honey

3 teaspoons of maple sugar, vanilla sugar, or brown sugar

a little extra vegetable oil to grease the grill

Preheat your grill on medium heat.
Wash and cut the peaches.
In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the oil, vinegar and honey until fully blended and slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.
Pour over the peaches and toss to cover. The mixture will not cling to the peaches, but the oil will still prevent the peaches from sticking to the grill.
Rub the grill grates with a little extra oil, taking care not to burn yourself.
Place the peaches cut side down on the grill. Drizzle a little extra mixture on top. Close the grill cover for 2 to 3 minutes.
Carefully flip the peaches onto their rounded side. Drizzle some more reserved marinade. Sprinkle generous amounts of maple sugar or other sugar of your choice on top. This will give the peaches a nice caramelized flavor. Cover again and leave for another 2 to 3 minutes, staying very close by so they do not burn.
Serve the peaches next to a creamy mound of ice cream. We chose Dulce de Leche and it really added to the sweet caramel of the peaches. Don't wait a second before digging in - use a spoon and dive into that velvety soft flesh.