Ingredients
1 ripe pineapple, peeled (optional: keep green top intact, see cook’s note)
2 teaspoons whole cloves
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
1/4 cup heavy cream
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Flaky sea salt, for serving
Preparation
Preheat oven to 325°F. Pierce pineapple all over with cloves. Place sugar and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a 2-quart baking dish; roll pineapple in sugar to coat. Scatter butter in pan.
Bake, brushing pineapple with sugar-butter mixture occasionally, until very tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Transfer pineapple to a cutting board; remove cloves.
Place sugar mixture from dish in a saucepan with cream. Simmer until thickened slightly, 6 to 8 minutes. Quarter pineapple lengthwise; serve with vanilla ice cream, pan sauce, and sprinkles of flaky salt and more pepper.
