Piña Colada Ice Cream Remix
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Frozen treat with coconut cream, crushed pineapple, and a splash of rum for a tropical twist. Heavy cream swapped partly with greek yogurt for tang and creaminess. Sugar reduced for balance but still with the coconut sweetness. Cook low to dissolve sugar without burning. Chill thoroughly, stirring occasionally, before churning. Soft churn finish, then freeze to set firmly. Toasted coconut topping suggested but optional. Notes on frozen texture, smoothing mix, and substitution ideas included.
Prep:
30 min
Cook:
10 min
Total:
Servings:
14 servings
#Caribbean
#Frozen Dessert
#Ice Cream
#Tropical
#Coconut
#Homemade
Cream thick and silky, fat chaining with tropical coconut scents. Pineapple sweet and bright, bringing zing through the dairy base. Tried this once with too cold a mix right from stove—crumbly ice, no thanks. Learned chilling fully, stirring, so melting sugar and fruit juice bond before cold helps avoid frost bits. Greek yogurt in here adds unexpected brightness and a bit of tang, cuts cloying richness. And rum? Optional but makes whole thing pop, smell sharp like beach bar in July. Churning timed by feel, not clock; stop when paddle resists and mix seems billowy. Freeze long, then test scoop. Toasted coconut finishing crunch hits fine with creamy cold island vibes. No-sugar substitutes? Beware. Texture suffers. Always trust those visual clues and how it folds off your paddle.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 ounces coconut cream (canned thick cream)
- 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice (fresh preferred)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon white rum (optional, for brightness)
- Toasted coconut flakes for garnish
About the ingredients
Coconut cream is key, thick and rich—use canned premium brands, not watery coconut milk. Fresh pineapple always better but drained canned can fill gaps; watch liquid so you keep balance, or ice cream gets watery or icier. Sugar measured precisely because too little makes sluggish freeze, too much gumming or overly sweet mouthfeel. I swapped part heavy cream for Greek yogurt—adds creaminess without extra fat, subtle tang cuts sweetness. If no cream, half-and-half might go, but expect less richness. Salt is secret; tiny pinch lifts fruit and dairy, curbs blandness. Rum addition is personal choice—adds sharp note of maturity and tropical fun but skip for no alcohol kitchen.
Method
- Freeze your ice cream maker bowl at least 20 hours ahead — rock solid is key, or churning won’t work well.
- Heat heavy cream, coconut milk, sugar, and coconut cream in a thick-bottom pot over low-medium flame. Stir gently, watching for sugar crystals melting into a faintly shiny liquid. No boiling here; just dissolve fully.
- Fold in pineapple with juice, salt, and optional rum right at the end. Remove from heat before any soft boil—too hot kills fresh flavors. Let cool until steam stops and you see a few small bubbles on surface (about 15 minutes).
- Transfer to a wide bowl. Cover tightly and refrigerate minimum 1.5 hours. Stir every 30 minutes if you remember — helps chill evenly and cuts ice crystals.
- Pour cold mix into your frozen ice cream maker. Churn about 22 minutes; texture will thicken but stay soft, creamy, like thick mousse. Don’t overdo or it’ll harden weird inside the machine.
- Spoon into container or lined loaf pan. Press surface flat to avoid air pockets. Cover airtight, freeze 11 to 13 hours — preferably overnight. Texture improves after full set and gives cleaner scoops.
- Serve topped with toasted coconut flakes, maybe a cherry or fresh pineapple chunk. Scoop softness is firm enough to hold shape but melts quick on tongue.
- If stuck without fresh pineapple, canned crushed gold pineapple works but drain juice separately; add a tablespoon back instead of full juice pour to avoid watery mix.
- Greek yogurt adds tang and helps body without more fat. No yogurt? Use full 2 1/2 cups heavy cream but expect lack of subtle tartness.
- Rum can be skipped but adds brightness balancing sweetness. Add at end of cooking to avoid alcohol burning off entirely or overpowering.
- Watch sugar closely. Under-sweet means icy and hard texture freezing cold. Overdo it and you get a gummy, overly sticky ice cream. Measure carefully, taste before chilling.
Cooking tips
No rush. Dissolve sugar over gentle heat, you want clear, glossy syrup base not caramelized or foaming boil. Notice surface stillness—that means sugar done. Adding fruit juice cold kills creamy blend so fold gently at the end, remove from heat quickly. Cool before fridge, no steam or hot bits left or you get condensation and icy crystals. Chill fully, stirring helps evenly cold mix, better texture after churn. Timing churn by feel, not just minutes; paddle resistance is your guide. Soft churned means you get creamy texture, firming only after final freeze. Cover airtight during freezing to avoid freezer burn. I sometimes press plastic wrap directly on mix surface, no air pocket. Toasted coconut is crunch contrast—toast yourself in dry pan or oven till golden-brown, smells nutty sharp. If freezing too long, take out 10 minutes early to soften scoopability. If mix too icy? Next time add tiny bit more fat or sugar.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Chill ice cream maker bowl minimum 20 hours—rock solid base for texture; if bowl still soft, mix won’t thicken right, churn fails. Prep ahead or no-go. I’ve learned timing is everything; rushing this step ruins creamy mousse feel.
- 💡 Use low heat melting sugar slowly; noisy simmer sounds stop bubbling early, sugar granules fully dissolve forming shiny syrup. Avoid caramel or foam; it kills cream integration. Watch for faint shine not boiling bubbles. Patience here equals less grainy ice crystals.
- 💡 Add pineapple juice cold only after removing pot from heat; hot acid kills cream body, ruins texture. Fold gently, try not to break pulp too much. Rum last step off heat keeps flavor sharp; cook it out and you lose punch, dulls balance.
- 💡 Stir mix every 30 minutes during fridge chill; breaks up ice crystals that start forming. Skip this and get icy crunchy chunks, no mousse softness. I learned the hard way. Plastic wrap pressed on surface kills air pockets too; freezer burn sneaks in otherwise.
- 💡 Churn timing is by feel not clock; mix thickens, paddle resists slightly, cloudiness shifts to billowy cream. Overchurn hardens mixture inside machine, dense ice clumps form. Stop early if unsure, freeze longer instead; texture fixes overnight freeze not churn time.
Common questions
Why does my ice cream get icy?
Chilling not thorough. Stir mix in fridge. Ice crystals grow fast no breaks. Fat or sugar low changes freezing point. Check sugar dissolve fully. Possibly bowl not cold enough. Mix moisture level off balance too.
Can I skip Greek yogurt?
Use full cream instead but you lose tang and slight sharpness yogurt adds. Half-and-half less rich, so softer mouthfeel likely. Yogurt helps body without extra fat. Tweak sweetness if omitting; less sugar might feel flat.
What if no fresh pineapple?
Canned works but juice diluted. Drain canned juice well, add small tablespoon back only. Excess liquid ruins freeze texture, watery icy chunks likely. Fresh better for brightness and natural enzymes that aid cream blending.
How to store ice cream after freezing?
Airtight container key; use plastic wrap pressed on surface to stop freezer burn. Use loaf pan or airtight tub. Thaw softens fast—take out 10 min before scooping. Long term, seals matter or texture suffers or gains ice crust.
