If you’ve had the privilege of visiting the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, I really hope you made time to taste Piña Coladas at at least one watering hole. A frozen rum drink made with creamy coconut and tropical pineapple, Piña Coladas have been Puerto Rico’s national drink since the late seventies.
The name piña colada (Spanish) literally means “strained pineapple”, a reference to the freshly pressed and strained pineapple juice used in the drink’s preparation.
What’s the Difference Between Cream of Coconut and Everything Else?
Cream of coconut is not the same thing as coconut cream or coconut milk. If coconut cream and coconut milk are sisters, cream of coconut is their cousin who the family only sees at weddings and funerals. They all take meds to make their family feel more normal. That means, all of these canned coconut products have added stabilizers (like guar gum) to make them shelf-stable. Let’s briefly discuss what makes them different.
Coconut cream and milk are the unsweetened products of coconut meat and water that’s been blended together to form a coconutty liquid. Much like cow’s milk, their names “cream” and “milk” are indicators of how rich (or fatty) they are. Cream is much richer than milk is, as it has a higher percentage of coconut fat to water in its makeup. Coconut milk has less coconut fat so it’s not as rich. Both of these coconut products are used in cooking, baking, and cocktail-making. For the sweeter recipes, you may need add sugar to sweeten them up a bit. When baking with coconut cream, be mindful that its higher percentage of fat may alter your recipe’s outcome.
As for our recipe’s star, cream of coconut, she’s a whole different beast. Instead of blending just coconut meat and water together, cream of coconut has a good amount of sugar that’s also added to it. As a result of the higher sugar content, it’s not an ingredient you’d use in savory recipes. Therefore, cream of coconut is used, almost exclusively, in dessert and cocktail recipes.
Yes, there’s also coconut water. Coconut water is the drunk uncle who no one wants at the party. I avoid bottled coconut water like the plague because it tastes artificial. I mean, I have sipped it straight from the coconut, so there’s that. Because I think it’s blasphemous, I won’t go into further detail on it. I want no parts of it.
Back to the DRANK…
Okay! Now that we’ve beaten the coconut horse to death, let’s reward ourselves with our piña coladas.
Add the pineapple juice to the blender. I also like to add pineapple chunks because it makes my drink more like a smoothie. The addition of fresh pineapple is totally optional, though. Fresh pineapple juice is best, but canned is totally acceptable. It is what they use in bars, after all.
Now’s a good time to add the ice and, my secret, a hint of brown sugar. While, again, totally optional, I love the depth of flavor the brown sugar adds to the drink.
How to Make a Piña Colada – The Basics on QVC
FAQ
What is the difference between pineapple and pina colada?
Do pina coladas taste like pineapple?
Does pina colada mix have pineapple?
What is fresh pineapple pina colada?
Fresh Pineapple Pina Colada is made with fresh pineapple and contains only 5 ingredients. It’s creamy, delicious and guaranteed to take your taste buds on a tropical vacation! I’ve got another Hawaiian inspired post for you today! This Fresh Pineapple Pina Colada is inspired by my recent trip to Maui.
Does pineapple contain sugar?
Yes, all fruits contain carbohydrates, which are a type of sugar. But that is no reason to fear him. Carbohydrates, especially those from fruits and vegetables, are very important for our health and the proper functioning of the body.
How do you make pineapple pina colada?
Fresh Pineapple Pina Colada is made with fresh pineapple instead of pineapple juice, and contains only 5 ingredients. It’s creamy, delicious, and guaranteed to take your taste buds on a tropical vacation! Place the pineapple, coconut milk, agave syrup, ice and rum in a blender. Process until smooth. Taste and add more sweetener or rum as desired.
What is a pina colada rum cocktail?
Although piña colada literally translates to strained pineapple, the Pina Colada that we all know and love is something more. A lot more. The Pina Colada is a classic rum cocktail that’s crafted with rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice and lime juice. It’s a tropical drink that’s both frothy and fruity.