Barbecued pineapple with spiced rum burnt caramel and lime cream

Method

1. Prepare a coal barbecue until the coals are white hot and glowing. Lay the whole pineapples directly on the coals, rotating with tongs or a barbecue glove (very carefully) about every 3 minutes until the pineapples are black all over and tender. The internal temperature should be about 50°C if you have a probe thermometer. Transfer to a metal tray until cool enough to handle.
2. Get the butter and 150ml of the cream ready to one side, then put the 150g sugar in a heavy-based pan with 3 tbsp water and heat gently. Stir until dissolved, then let the mixture bubble without stirring, swirling the pan every now and then, until it turns a really deep amber. Keep an eye on it; you want it to just catch and start to burn/darken, but not turn too bitter. When it is a good dark shade, add the butter and cream – it will spit and bubble up so take care – and stir over a low heat. The caramel will harden but melt back into a glossy sauce. Stir in the rum, then keep warm over a low heat.
3. Cut the burnt skin away from the pineapples, (wipe your chopping board now so you don’t get ash on the pineapple flesh), then cut it into batons, removing the core. Coat the pineapple chunks in the lime juice.
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4. Whisk the remaining cream to soft peaks, then gently stir in the lime zest. Serve the pineapple with a dollop of the lime cream and plenty of rum caramel sauce.