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Raspado de Piña Colada

Perhaps piña coladas are cliché, but there’s a reason why they’re still very popular: because pineapple and coconut make a perfect combination. I’ve never been much of a coconut person myself, but my sister absolutely loves them and would always get a virgin piña colada when we went to the beach. Holding a large green coconut that was bigger than her head, she would position herself on a chair, fixing her hair or hat and imagining she was a glamorous movie star. She would then carefully sip through the straw as slowly as she could, but always managed to finish drinking the coconut water within a few minutes. This recipe is for her.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (stir the coconut milk well before measuring)
1/3 cup light rum
1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced (about 4 cups)
Shaved or crushed ice
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, lightly toasted (see page 53)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar has dissolved. Let cool to room temperature.

    Step 2

    Put the syrup, coconut milk, rum, and 3 cups of the pineapple in a blender and blend until smooth. Let chill completely.

    Step 3

    For each serving, put about 2 tablespoons of the remaining pineapple in a serving dish or glass. Fill halfway with shaved ice, add 2 tablespoons pineapple, then top with shaved ice. If you have pineapple left over, place it on top. Drizzle 6 to 8 tablespoons of the syrup over the top and garnish with the coconut. Serve immediately.

Reprinted with permission from Paletas, Authentic Recipes For Mexican Ice Pops, Shaved Ice, & Aguas Frescas, copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc. As the country's most authoritative voice on Mexican sweets, FANY GERSON has been featured in the New York Times, Gourmet, Fine Cooking, Daily Candy, Village Voice, NY Daily News, Time Out magazine, and New York magazine, among other publications. She recently launched the acclaimed La Newyorkina, a Mexican frozen treats and sweets business that began with her love for paletas. A graduate of the culinary Institute of America, Fany has worked in a range of fine-dining kitchens around the world. Visit www.lanewyorkina.com for more information.
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