Ingredients

• 200g/7¼oz caster sugar
• 4 green cardamom pods
• lightly crushed
• small pinch saffron strands
• 3 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• broken
• 8 black peppercorns
• left whole
• 10 fennel seeds
• 300ml/10½fl oz water
• 1 ripe pineapple
• peeled
• core removed
• chopped into 8 equal-sized pieces
• good quality vanilla ice cream
• to serve (optional)

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Place the sugar and spices into a heavy-based pan and pour over the water. Bring the mixture to the boil
• stirring well so that the sugar dissolves
• then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes
• or until the mixture has thickened and resembles syrup.
• Strain the mixture into a clean jug
• discarding the whole spices (reserve the strained liquid). Set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile
• lay the pineapple pieces onto a roasting tray. Drizzle over two thirds of the sugar syrup
• then transfer to the oven and roast for 8-10 minutes
• basting regularly with the remaining sugar syrup.
• To serve
• arrange two pieces of spiced
• roasted pineapple into the centre of each of four serving plates. Place a scoop of ice cream alongside each
• if using.