Easy recipe for sliced roasted pineapple. This delicious oven baked dessert is with a spiced wet caramel of sticky vanilla, ginger, cayenne pepper/chilli and dark rum.
I made this as well as your French Coconut Macaroons and have been delighted with both recipes. Many thanks and I shall be trying out some of your other recipes without a doubt. - Noelle
Does Roasting Pineapple Make it Sweeter?
Pineapples, when ripe, are deliciously juicy and naturally sweet. The small Victoria pineapples are so characteristically sweet, even the inner core is edible.
However, there is an acidic element to pineapples which some people prefer to sweeten further. This recipe sweetens pineapple without it being too sweet.
Before I made this Ananas Rôti by roasting it whole. Instead, slice the pineapple first before baking. This way, the pineapple bakes in the rum caramel and caramelises the whole pineapple, rather than just on the outside.
Brief History and Symbolism of Pineapples
Ever since Christopher Columbus brought the tropical fruit to Europe from Guadaloupe in 1493, the pineapple has symbolised wealth and generous hospitality.
By the 18th century, they were such a rare, expensive delicacy that they weren't eaten straight away. Pineapples were seen as a wealth indicator and the utmost symbol to welcome guests.
So they adorned royal and aristocratic dinner tables as centre-pieces and could even be rented out by the day. L'ananas was the centre-piece on many a feast of Alexandre Dumas's Monte Cristo home near Paris.
For much more facts, including nutritional information,
see the market guide to pineapples.
Roasted Pineapple Recipe - With Just One Vanilla Bean
This dessert was originally inspired by the roasted pineapple recipe, Ananas Rôti à la vanille caramélisée from the French book, Larousse des desserts by Pierre Hermé. Although, in light of rising living costs, however, I reduced the whopping amount of SEVEN vanilla pods to just one.
After experimenting many times, one is more than enough, thanks to this easy trick I picked up many years ago in Provence:
Tip: as soon as I buy a vanilla pods/bean, store in a jar steeped in a little rum.
For more about this vanilla tip, see my recipe post for confiture de lait or Dulce de Leche.
I also previously made this recipe with passion fruit but now feel there is no need. This helps the pineapple's roasted flavours shine through.
Making a Caramel
The original recipe included a complex caramel then added 220ml of water. Instead, I make a quick wet caramel, just like I do for this Tarte Tatin recipe, then add a little water. For us home cooks and beginners worried about making their own caramel, this is a much easier method.
See my video demonstration of making wet caramel (from exactly 2:00 minutes),
from my French crème caramel recipe.
Roasted Pineapple with Spice
If you love a touch of spice, add a good pinch of cayenne pepper or chilli powder to this recipe. It's delicious with slices of fresh root ginger.
Unlike the original recipe where we're instructed to strain it off before baking, I keep it in as the resulting taste in the final dessert is still fiery. Adjust according to your taste - add less or more.
How to Serve Roasted Pineapple Slices
This dessert is delicious served simply on its own at room temperature or chilled. Alternatively, use this recipe as a base. Simply use the roast pineapple slice at the bottom and layer it with:
- Vanilla or candied fruit (plombières) ice cream (no-churn).
For an elegant dinner party presentation, press ice cream into pretty moulds like in the above photo and surround with the remaining caramelised vanilla roasted pineapple juices.
Top with a dried pineapple flower - to make these, see my post for dried rhubarb chips, and follow exactly the same techniques. - Top with French-style rice pudding, Pineapple Riz Condé - Alexandre Dumas called it this, but see Escoffier referred to it as Ananas à la Créole.
Delicious served simply with Coconut macaroons for dessert.
Roasted Pineapple with Sticky Vanilla
Ingredients
- 1 large pineapple (at least 1 kg)
- 100 g (½ cup) sugar
- 220 ml (1 cup) water warm
- 6 slices (10g) ginger less or more, according to taste
- good pinch cayenne pepper or chilli powder
- 1 vanilla pod (bean) cut in 4
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) dark rum
Instructions
- Prepare the syrup: carmelise the sugar. Stir sugar in a saucepan with 2 tablespoons (30ml) of the water to dissolve a little then place on a medium heat without stirring.
- After about 10 minutes, as soon as the caramel turns a dark golden colour, add the ginger slices and cayenne pepper then immediately add the rest of the warmed water.Tip: it's important it's warm-hot, otherwise the caramel will instantly harden.
- Stir then bring to the boil. Take off the heat then add the rum.
- Preheat the oven to 210°C. Prepare the pineapple by cutting off the outer skin with a sharp knife then cut into 3-4cm slices, removing the inner core (an apple corer makes this easier, otherwise cut out with a sharp knife).
- Cut the vanilla pod down the middle and cut into 4. Place the pineapple slices in a roasting tin, pour over the caramel and roast in the oven for about 50-60 minutes, spooning the syrup over the pineapple every 15 minutes to coat evenly.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly.
Notes
- Condé rice puddings;
- vanilla, coconut or plombières ice cream.
This recipe post was first published 28 May 2013 but now completely updated - the recipe is also adjusted to adapt to rising living costs, with less vanilla pods/no passion fruit.
Noelle Mace
After a little hunt on the internet, for a roasted pineapple recipe, I came across this post on your blog. I made this as well as your French Coconut Macaroons and have been delighted with both recipes. I've put a link to them from my post about our supper last night. Many thanks and I shall be trying out some of your other recipes without a doubt.
Jill Colonna
Hello Noelle,
Thanks so much for your lovely words. So happy to hear you liked this (we do too!) and the coconut macaroons. Please do leave a review for these too if you can - would be much appreciated to let people know the recipes are being loved.
Judee
The flavors with the ginger and vanilla sound amazing in this simple dessert and what a great idea to top it with ice cream
Visiting from Gluten Free A-Z blog.
Jill Colonna
Thanks, Judee. It's a handy, simple but fancy dessert. Glad you like it!
Beacon 11 styles
I love this dessert so much.
Jill Colonna
Glad you do - thanks for popping by to say so!
Ann Mah
Oh, yum. Pineapple and passion fruit are two of my favorite combinations. And what is up with the pay toilets at Printemps?! Cheap bastards!
Jill
Keep cool, Ann. This was just for fun...Glad you like the flavour combinations!
Liz
If we ever get back to Paris, I'll bring you a stash of Trader Joe's dried cherries...I try not to nibble on them when I bake or a whole bag could disappear! Hope there's some sunshine in your forecast today! xo
Jill
With this weather, I'm sure you won't be that tempted to return to Paris quickly, Liz! A whole bag? So that's why you're so skinny?
Jerome in Glasgow
Tried it on guests last night.... Went down a treat! 🙂 Thanks Jill!
Jill
The greatest compliment! Thanks, Jerome, glad you liked it.
Jerome in Glasgow
🙂
And when I said the recipe was yours, they were even more impressed (they own your book you see....)! 😉
Fiso
This is so up my street. Can't wait to try it!
Jill
Let us know when you make it, Fiso!
Thomasina
Love the idea of carving a pineapple on your gatepost. Go for it Jill.
Jill
I think I need to upgrade from the macaron mat at the front door, Thomasina!
Hester @ Alchemy in the Kitchen
Hmmmm spending a penny has obviously suffered inflation 🙂 How do I like my pineapple? Au naturale normally but definitely trying this decadent recipe.
Jill
Inflation.... love it, Hester!
Parisbreakfast
How appropriate since I have one in a paper bag ripening at the moment...
Ever since I got my pineapple gizmo at the Paris Foire I've been eating them like crazy.
http://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.fr/2013/05/mother-helpers.html
I didn't know this was the season right NOW. Not like the US where you get stuff year round I guess...
What do you do with the passion fruit? Just scoop out the seeds? I've yet to tackle one though I love all things Mogador..
Jill
Yes, you just scoop out the seeds - oops, need to make sure this is clear. Thanks for pointing out. Mogador? Love that combo too, although that's with chocolate, yum. This is just a more exotic rum fruity caramel. Yes, they were using their gizmos at the market here, giving us the option of them cutting it for us! Looks good.
Helene D'souza
I hadn't known that it had been brought back from Guadaloupe. Pineapple are growing wild here and we keep on removing the plants because snakes like to hide in them (and they are really pocky, I personally don't like to handle them). I love the idea of roasted pineapple with a hint of vanilla flavor and passion fruit, sounds divine!
Jill
Did you say snakes? Crivens, I couldn't handle snakes either, Helene. Life in Goa definitely is far more exciting! It is divine - hope you try it.