Baked pineapple with vanilla is one of the easiest fruit desserts to make. Fresh pineapple slices roast slowly in a sticky vanilla and dark rum caramel with ginger and a gentle kick of chilli.
Serve this roasted pineapple dessert warm, chilled or with ice cream for an easy dinner party dessert.
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
Why Bake Pineapple?
Pineapple is naturally sweet when ripe, but baking it slowly intensifies the flavour and softens its acidity.
The small Victoria pineapples are wonderfully sweet - even the inner core is edible. Larger pineapples, however, usually have a tougher centre that's best removed before baking.
Rather than roasting the pineapple whole, I slice it first so every piece absorbs the sticky vanilla caramel. The result is juicy baked pineapple slices coated in flavour rather than caramelised only on the outside.
For much more facts, including their history and symbolism,
see the market guide to pineapples.
How to Make Baked Pineapple with Vanilla
This recipe was inspired by Pierre Hermé's Ananas Rôti from the French book, Larousse des desserts by Pierre Hermé, although I reduced the original seven vanilla pods to just one.
After testing it several times, one pod gives more than enough flavour using a simple trick I picked up years ago in Provence:
Tip: Store vanilla pods in a small jar with a little dark rum. The pods continue flavouring the rum, and nothing goes to waste.
Start by making a simple wet caramel, then add the ginger, vanilla and rum before pouring it over the pineapple slices. As the pineapple bakes, spoon the syrup over the fruit occasionally so each slice becomes sticky and caramelised.
Easy Wet Caramel for Beginners
The original recipe uses a more complicated caramel before adding water. Instead, I use a simple wet caramel method similar to my French Tarte Tatin, which feels much easier for home cooks and anyone nervous about making caramel.
If caramel has ever seized, crystallised or made you want to hide behind the kitchen door, I walk through it step by step in my Master Crème Caramel eBook and video course. Once you understand a few simple tricks, caramel becomes much less mysterious.
Add Ginger or Chilli for Extra Heat
If you enjoy a little spice, add fresh ginger and a pinch of cayenne or chilli powder.
I leave the ginger slices in while baking because the gentle heat works beautifully with the sweet pineapple and vanilla. Adjust the amount to your own taste.
How to Serve Roasted Pineapple Slices
Served baked pineapple at room temperature or chilled - either on its own or serve with:
- Vanilla, coconut or plombières ice cream.
- With French Coconut macaroons (without condensed milk).
- With rice pudding to make Pineapple Riz Condé (Alexandre Dumas called it this, but see Escoffier referred to it as Ananas à la Créole.)
- Topped with dried pineapple flowers for dinner parties - follow recipe for dried rhubarb chips (same techniques).
Baked 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 220°C/425°F (200°C fan/Gas 7). 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.
Charlie
Jill, what can I use instead of rum?
Jill Colonna
Hi Charlie,
Rum is really the best to use in this pineapple recipe but if you don't have any, the best substitute to roast here would be Brandy or Cognac.
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.