Your BBQ has been a resounding success and your guests are now lying in a state of content lethargy. But give it 20 minutes or so and they may start hankering for something sweet to cap the day off.
Usually, in these instances BBQ hosts run for the freezer to grab some shop-bought icy treats to placate their guests’ sugar cravings, or maybe a homemade cheesecake. These are always welcome desserts, but at Greensleeves, we’re BBQ purists and big champions of the BBQ-cooked-pudding.
While you might not think a flaming grill lends itself to cooking sweet courses, there are a number of dishes that work brilliantly on the barbie. What’s more, it allows you to use up the final embers of heat, giving you maximum bang for your buck. After spending all that money on BBQ fuel it doesn’t make sense to go inside to grab from the freezer or put something in the oven. So, here are a few suggestions:
Bananas
Bananas are perhaps the go to BBQ desert, or at least the one we feel most people already know about. The base recipe couldn’t be simpler: take some not-too-ripe bananas and throw them straight onto a dying grill until they blacken. Inside you’ll find a gooey, sweet treat that’s also very healthy… but if you want something a bit more indulgent, check out this recipe for BBQ Rum and Caramel Bananas the perfect thing to serve with a scoop of ice cream.
Fondue
While the idea of fondue might seem more appropriate for skiing in the alps than it does a summer BBQ, chocolate fondues work fabulously on the grill and add some entertainment into the mix.
All you need is a flameproof Dutch oven, or something similar, to put over the fire. Add your milk and chocolate and allow it to melt, do this when the BBQ is coming to an end. Once the chocolate melts into a goo, allow guests to dip in bananas, strawberries, biscuits, and anything else you think might be nice — some people swear that ready salted crisps are the ultimate chocolate fondue accompaniment.
Sweet kebabs
Nearly as easy as BBQ bananas are these strawberry kebabs. Simply stick a mixture of marshmallows and fruit on a skewer and warm over the grill for a few minutes. Allow to cool and coat with caramel sauce and crumbled nuts. Delicious!
Orange brownies
Finally, let’s finish with an unusual showstopper — chocolate brownies baked in hollowed-out oranges. Like all good recipes, this requires a bit of prep, but your guests will be delighted by the end result.
We recommend pre-making the brownies and storing in the fridge, this way you can whip them out, wrapped in tinfoil and bake on the embers. As let’s face it, after a big BBQ feast you’re unlikely to want to do much work before serving dessert.
