Warm up your winter with this cozy treat - spiced grilled pineapple served alongside a warm coconut rice pudding. The sweet, caramelised pineapple pairs perfectly with the comforting, velvety rice, infused with coconut for a taste of tropical heaven even in the coldest months. The perfect winter dessert.
Number of servings: 4
Cooking time: 1 hour
Preparation time: 2-5hours
Ingredients
Pineapple: 1
Dark brown sugar: 40g
Honey: 20g
Dark rum: 125ml
Rice pudding:
Short grain pudding rice / sushi rice / thai sticky rice: 70g
Coconut milk: 400ml
Single cream: 150ml
Brown sugar: 40g
Vanilla extract: 2 tsp
Salt: pinch
Toppings:
Coconut flakes: 50g
Garnish:
Lime: 1
Chilli flakes: 1 pinch
Method
To peel the pineapple, lay it flat and use a serrated bread knife to remove the crown and base.
Place the pineapple upright, ensuring the bottom is flat, and cut down the sides to remove the skin from top to bottom. You can either remove thin slices, then go back to trim the “eyes”, or remove thicker slices from the start, which may take off more flesh but creates a cleaner, rounder shape.
Cut the pineapple into quarters or eighths, depending on the size, and remove the core from each piece.
Marinate the pineapple strips in sugar, honey, and rum for at least an hour. For a stronger rum flavour, marinate for at least 5 hours.
For the rice pudding, add coconut milk and rice to a saucepan. Bring it to the boil, then let it simmer for around 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, a pinch of salt, vanilla extract, and single cream. Whisk well. Once the rice pudding has thickened, slowly pour in the mixture and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat and set aside. The best way to serve rice pudding is slightly warm but not boiling hot.
Preheat the griddle pan over medium-high heat. Brush oil thoroughly on the pan. Place the pineapple slices flat side down and cook for 3-5 minutes until grill marks appear. Using a grill press or placing a lid over the pineapples will help create more even and pronounced grill marks. Flip the pineapple and grill for another minute. Set aside.
Pour the remaining marinade into a saucepan and reduce it until it turns into a glossy caramel sauce. Glaze the grilled pineapple slices using a pastry brush. Sprinkle lime zest and chilli flakes on top.
Toast coconut flakes in a frying pan over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, tossing frequently to prevent burning.
Spoon the rice pudding onto one side of the plate, place the glazed pineapples beside it, and sprinkle toasted coconut flakes over the rice pudding. Garnish with a lime wedge. Enjoy!
