As we wrap up July and slide into August, the temperature — and your craving for sweets — are at an all-time high. When the afternoon sun starts to hit, there’s nothing worse than being stuck inside using an oven that makes your kitchen hot, stuffy, and unbearable. Take your baking session to the outside grill so you can enjoy the golden hour and the aromas of your grilled goods. The grill, in contrast to the oven, contributes full, complex, rich, and smoky flavors to your food. After grilling 20-minute steak fajita quesadillas or beercan kabobs, spend some time on a thorough grill cleaning before expanding your grilling abilities to include sweet treats that are perfect for a night with guests or a relaxing evening with family. Here are the top sweet recipes for those summer nights that you wish could last a lifetime.
Grilled Brie
This is an ideal appetizer to put out for any guests at a get-together. It’s light and easy to eat, making it great to consume while having a conversation or laughing over a game of cornhole. An added bonus: it’s easy to make! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Brie Cheese
- Cherry Preserves
- Olive Oil or Butter
- Sliced Baguette
Now, as I said before, this recipe is pretty easy and you may be able to figure out how to make it without having to reference this much. But, I’ll go ahead and give you the rundown.
- Heat your outdoor grill to medium-high heat and lightly grease it with cooking spray or oil.
- Brush the baguette slices with olive oil or butter. It’s all about taste preference with this. Olive oil will give your snack a more savory, maybe even bitter taste depending on how much you put on. Butter will sweeten your bread and also produce some nice aromas.
- Grill your baguette slices on both sides until they produce nice golden brown grill marks. They should be crispy so they can withstand the weight of the brie and preserves.
- Once you’re happy with the baguette slices, go ahead and place your brie on the grill. Don’t worry about wrapping it in foil to keep it from melting all over your grill — brie cheese has a dried and hardened rind that protects the cheese, but is completely edible. The inside cheese won’t melt out.
- Grill your brie for about two minutes on each side, or until it produces golden brown grill lines.
- Remove the brie from the grill before topping the cheese with preserves. We recommend cherry or raspberry for the sweetness, but any fruit preserve of preference can be used.
- Serve the preserve-topped brie cheese with your bread on a platter and enjoy! Pair it with our grilled Sangria for some smokey and wonderfully-mixed flavors.
Grilled Doughnut and Peach Ice Cream Sundae
There’s something nostalgic about the flavor of grilled peaches, maybe because they remind me of a summer well-spent. The best thing about peaches is that they can be added to a number of recipes, like thyme pork chops with pear-bourbon grilled chutney or a classic peach cobbler. But what about an ice cream sundae? Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious summer treat:
- 4 glazed doughnuts split in half
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 peaches, cored and sliced
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- Vanilla ice cream
- Caramel sauce
This recipe requires little preparation but having a friend help you will make the experience fun and rewarding.
- Set your grill to medium heat.
- While the grill is heating up, mix the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl until combined.
- Toss the sliced peaches into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and make sure each slice is covered well.
- Grill peach slices until golden brown.
- Grill the doughnut halves (cut side down/glazed side up) until they produce grill marks of your desired color.
- Once you have removed the doughnut from the grill, stack on the grilled peach slice(s) on top before adding the scoop(s) of vanilla ice cream.
- Drizzle on caramel sauce and enjoy!
S’mores Hand Pies
A spin on an old classic, and the ultimate in outdoor desserts. When you imagine eating a dessert outside, s’mores may likely be the first thing you think of. We’re taking the classic combination of graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate to the next level with this gooey sweet treat. For an all-American meal, enjoy this dessert after eating grilled peanut butter and jelly. Here’s what you’ll need for this tasty dessert:
- Pie crust
- Graham crackers
- Mini marshmallows
- Marshmallow Cream (optional for extra gooey-ness)
- Hershey’s Chocolate
Unlike the above two recipes, this one takes a bit more preparation and patience. For a higher level of difficulty, you can make your own pie crust, but there is nothing wrong with using a store-bought crust.
- Set the grill to medium heat and grease the grates.
- Roll out pie crust on a cutting board and cut out 6-inch circles. For optimal use of pie crust, re-roll scraps.
- Place your graham cracker in the middle of the circle before stacking the chocolate.
- If you opted for the marshmallow cream, either pipe it or add a dollop on top of the chocolate before adding the mini marshmallows.
- Wet the edges of the pie crust before folding over one side of the dough to cover the toppings. Press it in place before folding up the edges and pressing those in place as well.
- Crimp the edges of the hand pies with your fingers before brushing them with a beaten egg white.
- Grill the hand pies for two minutes on each side before moving them to the upper rack to continue cooking in indirect heat for about a minute.
- Remove hand pie from the grill and garnish with a mini marshmallow.
If your hand pies exploded due to the expanding marshmallows or leaked on your grill, don’t sweat it. Texas Grill Masters is here to help! We specialize in grill cleaning and repair, and our technicians will ensure that your grill is restored to its pristine state. Call today for an unbeatable grill cleaning!