Prep5 minutes
Grill9–10 minutes
Total15 minutes
Serves4
Choose peaches that smell fragrant and give slightly when pressed, but are still firm enough to hold their shape on the grill. The cut side goes down first so it can caramelize and pick up those deep grill marks before the peach softens.
Ingredients
- 4 ripe but firm peaches, halved and pitted
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon honey
- A splash of vanilla extract
- French vanilla ice cream, for serving
- Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
How to grill the peaches
- Heat the grill. Bring it to medium heat. Clean the grates and oil them lightly so the fruit releases cleanly.
- Start face down. Place the peach halves cut-side down. Grill without moving them for 4 to 5 minutes, until they have good color and lift away easily.
- Flip and finish. Turn the peaches onto the skin side and grill for about 5 minutes more. They should be hot and tender but not collapsing.
- Make the sauce. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter, then stir in 1 tablespoon of honey and a splash of vanilla until smooth.
- Serve warm. Place a scoop of French vanilla ice cream on each peach, drizzle with the warm sauce, and finish with a mint leaf.
Our best tips
- Use freestone peaches when possible; the pits release more easily.
- Do not move the cut side too soon. Once it is properly caramelized, it will release from the grate with less sticking.
- Keep the ice cream frozen until the peaches are plated—the contrast between hot fruit and cold French vanilla is the whole point.
- Make the sauce while the peaches grill and serve it warm.
Easy scaling: Plan on two peach halves per person. For eight people, double the peaches and sauce; the grilling time stays the same if the halves fit in one layer.
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