Leveling up the taste even more
You’re not restricted to just grilled ripe strawberries with this recipe. Other fruits such as peaches, mangoes, plums, or pineapple, which are bursting with sweet juices, work wonderfully as well. You can even experiment with grilling fruit combinations, like pairing peaches and strawberries. Crumble the cake and layer it with the fruit in a parfait glass, then top off the dessert with whipped cream and strawberries for an elegant touch.
Moreover, creating a mixture of melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon to brush onto the fruit before grilling adds an extra layer of dessert-friendly flavor. Similarly, instead of transferring the strawberries directly from skewers to plates, set a few aside. Mash those berries with a fork, mix in some cinnamon and sugar, and then combine them with the whole berries to infuse the dessert with a syrupy richness.
Lastly, while pound and angel food cakes are popular choices for this recipe, it’s also common to see strawberry shortcake made with biscuits. Grilled homemade biscuits could provide the comforting touch your version of grilled strawberry shortcake needs to truly delight your taste buds.
Why this works
The reason this tastes so incredible comes down to science (and a great harvest). Much of the sweetness in strawberries is derived from their aromatic scent. When you grill the strawberries along with the shortcake they rest on, the heat enhances the aromas and sweet flavors of both, thanks to the Maillard reaction. This delightful process occurs when the heat from the flames interacts with the sugars and amino acids in the fruit and cake, resulting in an unbeatable sweet-and-savory combination. It's no coincidence that the berries taste sweeter than usual.
Additionally, we can't overlook the impact that a charcoal barbecue might have on the flavor—if you're lucky enough to have one—nor the sweet and umami-rich balsamic vinaigrette that brings these flavors together. While the science behind it may seem complex, the recipe itself is straightforward. You can create this dessert using ingredients from your local farmer's market or grocery store, leaving no excuse for not firing up the grill and getting started.
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