Roasted Golden Pineapple with Spiced Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

1 golden pineapple-sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1 cup sugar
1 cup sweet wine (recommended: Gervertztraminer, mascato, rum)
1 vanilla bean-scraped
3 mint leaves
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup toasted coconut flakes

1 9-by-9 inch baking pan
Aluminum foil

Directions:

In a stainless steel mixing bowl, combine sugar, wine, vanilla bean and mint leaves. Line the bottom of a small rectangular baking pan with thin slices of pineapple (leave the core in – it will soften as it cooks) and pour sugar and wine mixture over them.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Fruit should be slightly caramelized to the bottom of the baking pan and there should be fragrant syrup throughout.

Whip cream to soft peaks. Add 1/4 cup sugar and spices. Continue whipping to stiff peak.

Serve slice of pineapple with syrup and dollop of cream. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.