It took 32 and a half years for me to try my first Pina Colada. The combination of coconut and pineapple just didn’t work in my head, all I could think of was Malibu with pineapple juice and it just sounded terrible. But then last year I went to a late summer BBQ, tried my first Pina Colada and it blew my mind!

I’ve barely been able to get it out of my mind ever since, which led to day dreams of creamy coconut rice pudding with sweet, sticky, rum-flavoured pineapple and a hint of lime. This dish lived up to my expectations and what’s more, it’s even better cold for brekkie the next day (although perhaps without the boozy pineapple!)

The rice pudding is super straight forward to make and it’s vegan too! The pineapple is sticky, sweet and fragrant with a mega kick of rum (which of course you can skip if you’re that way inclined) The combination is epic!

Coconut Rice Pudding with Rum Pineapple
Rice pudding adapted from  my Cardamom Rice Pudding and Pineapple from Levi Roots for BBC Food
Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the rice pudding:
1 cup arborio rice
2 cups coconut milk (1 can)
2 cups cold water (refill the coconut milk can)
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the pineapple:
1/2 a fresh pineapple
1/4 cup soft brown sugar (packed)
1/3 cup cold water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 1/2 a lime
1 tbsp Rum

Put all of the pudding ingredients, into a medium sized saucepan. Bring the mixture to the boil over a high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan (that’ll stop it developing the dreaded skin!). Cook the pudding for 25 – 30 minutes, stirring every now and then to stop it sticking.

In the meantime, put 4 wooden skewers into cold water to soak, this will stop them scorching when you cook the pineapple.

Heat the sugar and water in a small pan over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the vanilla and lime and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes until it becomes syrupy. Add the rum and stir to combine, then remove the syrup from the heat.

Preheat a griddle pan, BBQ or grill. Peel and core the pineapple and chop it into chunks. Put the chunks onto the skewers and grill the pineapple for about 8-10 minutes turning occasionally.

Serve the rice pudding in little bowls with the pineapple on the side with the syrup drizzled over it. Enjoy!