Grilling fruit caramelizes the sugar in it & creates a tantalizing combination of sweet with a bit of smoke to fresh fruit. Drizzling the fruit with TEA SYRUP adds more punch & complexity to the flavours. The fruity taste is intensified & becomes more compelling.

This simple way to prepare fruit is also delightfully versatile. Serve the grilled fruit drizzled with TEA SYRUP as dessert on its own, as topping for a cake, or on top of your morning oatmeal, muesli, cereal or dairy-free yogurt.

It’s also a tasty accompaniment to savory tapas & dips. You can also toss the fruit in the TEA SYRUP & add it to green, cooked or grain salads for a burst of mouth-watering flavour.

 

OUR FAVOURITE FRUIT & TEA SYRUP PAIRINGS

• For stone fruits such as peaches, plums & nectarines- cut fruit in half & remove stone, or cut in large slices. These are wonderful with PEACH PARADISE, MANGO SHADE & JASMINE OASIS TEA SYRUP.
• Bananas- leave the skin on & cut in half lengthwise. A TEA FLAVOURED SYRUP made from any spicy teas including HERBAL CHAI, SILK ROAD CHAI & EXPRESS CHAI, or aromatic teas such as CHOCOLATE HUG, VANILLA PLANTATION, LONDON FOG & IMPERIAL EARL GREY make a great pairing with bananas.
• Apples & pears- cut in half, or in slices & remove core. TEA FLAVOURED SYRUP made with spicy teas including HERBAL CHAI, SILK ROAD CHAI & EXPRESS CHAI, or aromatic teas such as CHOCOLATE HUG, VANILLA PLANTATION, LONDON FOG & IMPERIAL EARL GREY are delicious & classic choices for these fruits but they also pair well with TEA FLAVOURED SYRUPS made from MANGO SHADE or PEACH PARADISE tea, or teas that have some tart & zesty notes in them as a counterpoint to the sweetness, such as ALCHEMIST’S BREW & QUENCH. Fruity TEA FLAVOURED SYRUPS including SOUR CHERRY & WILDBERRY WAVE are also tasty choices.
• Pineapple- remove skin & core, cut into large slices. A wide range of TEA FLAVOURED SYRUPS are fantastic with pineapple—any spicy teas (EXPRESS CHAI, SILK ROAD CHAI, HERBAL CHAI), tropical & exotic flavours such as MANGO SHADE or JASMINE OASIS. As well, ALCHEMIST’S BREW or QUENCH (the hibiscus in both of these teas is amazing with the pineapple), as is the delightful taste of lime & lemon found in our SUBLIME & PHILOSOPHER’S BREW teas.
• Fresh figs- cut in half lengthwise Figs are also very versatile & any of the TEA FLAVOURED SYRUPS that we recommended for pineapple are excellent choices with figs as well.
• Watermelon, cantaloupe, mango & papaya- you can choose whether or not you want to remove the rind; remove the seed(s) & cut into large slices. SOUR CHERRY TEA FLAVOURED SYRUP is heavenly with these fruits, as are any tropical & exotic teas such as MANGO SHADE & JASMINE OASIS.
• Oranges – cut into thick round slices & coat with a fine layer of granulated sugar before grilling. Fabulous drizzled with syrups that enhance the citrus flavour, such as IMPERIAL EARL GREY or SUBLIME.
• Small fruits such as strawberries, or fruits cut into smaller chunks- cook on a skewer so that pieces do not fall through the grill. Strawberries are enhanced with the tart notes of ALCHEMIST’S BREW, QUENCH or the alluring cherry notes in SOUR CHERRY tea.

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Get inspired with more tips, techniques & recipes - watch & learn directly from Tea Master Daniela Cubelic in this captivating VIDEO SERIES.

Learn how to make chai tea soup, tea hot chocolates, mulled cider teas, tea infused oatmeal, ice cream tea floats, tea lemonades, iced teas & more. You’ll also discover fascinating facts & info about the health benefits of tea, tea history & secrets for tea brewing.

 

GRILLED FRUITS WITH TEA SYRUP

dairy-free, gluten-free & vegan

INGREDIENTS
a selection of fruit (see DIRECTIONS for fruits that are delicious grilled & how to prepare them)
TEA SYRUP (see recipe below or see our blog post for more information)
small amount of neutral oil with a high smoke point for oiling the grill, such as canola or grapeseed oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat clean grill over a medium fire for about 10 minutes. Pay attention to the temperature of the grill—it makes a big difference to the end result. The grill should be pre-heated, but not excessively hot, before grilling the fruit. If the fire is too hot, instead of caramelizing, it can quickly burn the natural sugars in the fruit, which can result in an unpleasant burnt taste & texture. You can check the heat by placing your palm about 2 inches above the grill. For a medium-hot fire, ideal for grilling most fruits, you should be able to hold your hand there for 3 seconds, but not longer. Ideally, set up your grill so that one side is hotter (for the initial grilling) & the other side is cooler (for finishing the cooking).

2. While grill is heating, prepare the fruit. See above for fruit preparation & flavour pairings. When selecting fruit to grill, pick ones that are just hitting the point of being ripe so that there is still a firmness to the fruit. Overly ripe fruits are softer & can become too mushy & not stay together when grilled.

3. Once grill is heated, brush lightly with oil. Use tongs to place fruits cut-side down on the grill. Cook until you have grill marks on the cut side of the fruit—the fruit will release from the grill once it is seared, so don’t worry if it sticks initially. If your fruit seems seared but is still stuck to the grill, use a metal spatula to gently release the fruit. Remember that fruits will cook at different rates, so keep an eye on them. Use tongs to turn fruit so that it is now cut-side up & move to a cooler spot on the grill to finish cooking more slowly. For fruit that has been cut into slices, you can decide whether you want to grill both sides, or just one.

4. Remove cooked fruits from grill & place grilled-side up on a plate. Drizzle with your favourite TEA SYRUP & enjoy!

Experiment with different combinations of fruit & TEA FLAVOURED SYRUPS & discover how there are many options that work well & each can bring out different aspects of the fruit.

 

TEA SYRUP

dairy-free, gluten-free & vegan

makes approximately 1½ cups 

INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons SILK ROAD TEA of your choosing
2 cups boiling water
1 cup sugar (white, brown, raw) OR 2 cups honey, maple syrup or agave nectar

DIRECTIONS

1. Steep herbal & wellness teas in boiling water for 10 minutes; steep black, green & oolong teas for 5 minutes. After steeping tea, strain.

2. Pour tea into to a medium sized saucepan. Add sugar or sweetener to saucepan & stir over medium heat until completely dissolved & the liquid is clear. Caution: do not overheat sugar or sweeteners, or leave them unattended, as they can quickly burn or bubble over.

3. Pour syrup into stainless steel or heatproof container to cool, then place in refrigerator, or a cold water/ice bath. Store in fridge.