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No-Churn Pina Colada Ice Cream

by . Featured in KITCHEN
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Introduction

Flushed with the success of an earlier creation, the no-churn margarita ice cream, I bring you the no-churn piña colada ice cream. Rich coconut, sharp pineapple, smooth cream: we are in business! You don’t have to share my weakness for a kitsch tipple to enjoy this. Certainly, it helps — but the benefit is psychological not gastronomical.

Note: I am afraid desiccated coconut just isn’t the same as the moist, sweetened American-style shredded coconut I, and you, need here. It is not available in the UK in shops, but you can get it online.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

Flushed with the success of an earlier creation, the no-churn margarita ice cream, I bring you the no-churn piña colada ice cream. Rich coconut, sharp pineapple, smooth cream: we are in business! You don’t have to share my weakness for a kitsch tipple to enjoy this. Certainly, it helps — but the benefit is psychological not gastronomical.

Note: I am afraid desiccated coconut just isn’t the same as the moist, sweetened American-style shredded coconut I, and you, need here. It is not available in the UK in shops, but you can get it online.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

No-Churn Pina Colada Ice Cream
Photo by Lis Parsons

Ingredients

Serves: 8-10

Metric Cups
  • 125 millilitres pineapple juice (from a carton)
  • 80 millilitres malibu (white coconut rum)
  • drop coconut essence
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
  • 100 grams icing sugar
  • 500 millilitres double cream
  • 75 grams shredded coconut (to serve)
  • ½ cup pineapple juice (from a carton)
  • ⅓ cup malibu (white coconut rum)
  • drop coconut essence
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ⅔ cup shredded coconut (to serve)

Method

  1. Pour the pineapple juice and Malibu into a large bowl, and add the coconut flavouring and lime juice.
  2. Add the icing sugar and whisk to dissolve.
  3. Whisk in the cream and keep whisking until soft peaks form. (If using American heavy-cream or whipping cream in other countries, whisk your cream in a bowl first, until it reaches soft peaks, then whisk in the other ingredients and continue whisking until thick again.)
  4. Taste to see if you need more coconut flavouring or a squeeze more lime juice (and remember it won’t be as strong when frozen), then spoon and smooth the ice cream into an airtight container and freeze.
  5. On serving — and, oh, how this cries out for hollowed-out coconut shells as serving vessels — toast the shredded coconut in a hot, dry pan until just turning golden and remove to a bowl. Sprinkle a little over each person’s portion and leave the rest for people to add as they eat.
  1. Pour the pineapple juice and Malibu into a large bowl, and add the coconut flavouring and lime juice.
  2. Add the confectioners' sugar and whisk to dissolve.
  3. Whisk in the cream and keep whisking until soft peaks form. (If using American heavy-cream or whipping cream in other countries, whisk your cream in a bowl first, until it reaches soft peaks, then whisk in the other ingredients and continue whisking until thick again.)
  4. Taste to see if you need more coconut flavouring or a squeeze more lime juice (and remember it won’t be as strong when frozen), then spoon and smooth the ice cream into an airtight container and freeze.
  5. On serving — and, oh, how this cries out for hollowed-out coconut shells as serving vessels — toast the shredded coconut in a hot, dry pan until just turning golden and remove to a bowl. Sprinkle a little over each person’s portion and leave the rest for people to add as they eat.

Additional Information

MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
The ice cream can keep for up to 3 months in the freezer, but will become icy, so it's better up to 1 month only and at its best within 1 week of making.

MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
The ice cream can keep for up to 3 months in the freezer, but will become icy, so it's better up to 1 month only and at its best within 1 week of making.

Tell us what you think

What 3 Others have said

  • I made this and it’s delicious. I couldn’t get coconut essence, but I used slightly more Malibu and the flavour was perfect. In Ireland, our fresh cream has a higher fat content than the English single cream, so it whips beautifully. We don’t have single cream and double cream is relatively new here, so I just used regular fresh cream and it gave great results.

    Posted by Noonger1 on 16th July 2023
  • I made this today. I was a bit afraid that it wouldn't taste enough of the pineapple so I took 1 cup pineapple juice and boiled it down to the required 1/2 cup. I like the added tang. Also, I had to laugh at the "additional information" on storing it. Three months in the freezer? LOL. Not in this house.

    Posted by SYL1965 on 10th July 2021
  • I finally made this last night after eyeing up the recipe for ages, and it works splendidly. I did need some extra coconut essence & lime juice after tasting, to intensify the flavour. I also like the margarita ice cream recipe but I think the piña colada works even better. I also tried the substitute tip for shredded coconut (desiccated coconut with icing sugar and water) and the result is fairly pleasant. Thanks Nigella & team!

    Posted by peej on 3rd July 2018
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