Baked Pineapple with Ginger-Thyme Ice

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves + a small sprig for serving
• 2 x 0.33 ml bottles of ginger beer or natural ginger sparkling water
• 1 whole pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 8 equal slices
• Vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp. sugar

Preparation:

1. Evenly distribute the thyme leaves among the compartments of two large ice cube trays. Fill the trays with ginger beer and freeze for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 200°C.
3. Place the pineapple slices on a baking sheet. Lightly brush both sides with vegetable oil and sprinkle evenly with sugar; sprinkle with salt as well. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Then remove from the oven and flip over.
4. Return to the oven and continue baking until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Then cool slightly on the baking sheet.
5. Place frozen ginger beer cubes in a food processor and process until fluffy and snow-like. Transfer to a small baking dish.
6. Place 2 warm pineapple slices on each dessert plate, top with a spoonful of ginger ice and garnish with a small sprig of thyme.
   
   

   Note

   If you're not using the ginger ice immediately, freeze it. Before serving, scrape it with a fork to loosen it. Ginger beer is very spicy, and freezing intensifies its spiciness. For a milder flavor, use natural ginger ale or ginger soda.