Grilled Strawberries With Black Pepper Ice Cream

Most of the prep can be done long in advance. For the grilled strawberries, a grill pan or George Foreman gill may be used for that that one last minute step. An elegant dessert just looking for a special party.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 pints  premium vanilla ice cream
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons  medium ground black pepper
• 12  fresh rosemary  skewers
• 24  fresh strawberries, stemmed and halved

• Port Syrup

• 1⁄2 cup  ruby port
• 1⁄4 cup sugar

• Cocoa Wafers

• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 3  tablespoons butter
• 2  tablespoons  cocoa
• 1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  pinch salt
• 1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

1. To make Black Pepper Ice Cream: Place ice cream in refrigerator for about 30 minute or until slightly softened. Gently stir in pepper. Place in freezer until firm.
2. Make cocoa wafers - or buy prepared chocolate wafers.
3. Strip leaves from rosemary skewers, leaving 2 to 3 inches of leaves at the top. Thread 4 strawberries halves onto each skewer.
4. Grill skewers, cut sides down, about 4 minute or until grill marks form.
5. For each serving, place one 1/2-c. scoop Black Pepper Ice Cream in chilled glass; spear 2 skewers into ice cream. Spoon 1 tablespoons Port Syrup onto ice cream. Garnish with 2 Cocoa Wafers.
6. To make Port Syrup: In saucepan, simmer port and sugar until reduced to 1/3 cup. Chill.
7. To make Cocoa Wafers: Cream sugar and butter. Mix in cocoa, vanilla and salt; when smooth, mix in flour just until incorporated. If needed, add up to 2 teaspoons of water to make firm but pliable dough.
8. Form into a flat disc between 2 pieces of plastic wrap; chill. Roll between 2 pieces of plastic wrap to 3/8-inch thickness.
9. With sharp knife or cookie cutter, cut into leaf shapes about 3 inches long. Place on parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake in 325°F oven 10 to 12 minute or just until set; wafers will firm as they cool.