Pineapple Sorbet & Coconut Crème Brûlée

A legendary recipe from Ibiza (vegan version)

The most impressive summer dessert I’ve tried and tastes exactly like a piña colada with zero alcohol.

There are dishes you eat on holiday and forget by the time you land home. And then there are dishes that stay with you. This is one of those dishes.

Pineapple cups filled with sorbet, one crowned with a torched coconut crème brûlée, everything served on crushed ice with fresh mint. It tasted exactly like a piña colada. Just pure tropical joy.

I've been making my version on repeat ever since.

It looks incredibly impressive but the method is simpler than you think and most of it is done the day before, so there's no stress on the day.

Ingredients (serves 4)

3 ripe pineapples (2 medium for the sorbet cups, 1 large for the crème brûlée)

For the pineapple sorbet:

• 2 fresh pineapples, cubed (from the hollowed pineapples)

• 100ml cold coconut water

• 80 ml pure maple syrup (optional)

• 1 lime juice

For the coconut crème brûlée:

• 400ml full-fat coconut cream (thick solid part only, discard the liquid)

• 200 ml coconut or almond milk

• 35 g cornstarch

• 60 ml maple syrup

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 2 tbsp raw cane sugar or coconut sugar (for the brûlée top)

• pinch of sea salt

To serve:

• Crushed ice

• Fresh mint sprigs

• Kitchen torch

Instructions

Cut the top off each pineapple and slice a thin layer off the bottom so they sit flat. Hollow out each one carefully with a sharp knife and spoon, leave a wall of about 1–1.5cm so the shell stays sturdy. Reserve all the flesh. Pat the insides dry and refrigerate the shells overnight.

Cube the pineapple flesh from the two smaller pineapples and freeze on a parchment-lined baking sheet for at least 4 hours or overnight. The riper and sweeter your pineapple, the better your sorbet.

For the crème brûlée:

1. Whisk cornstarch with cold milk until fully dissolved.

2. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth.

3. Cook on medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened.

4. Simmer gently for 1 minute.

5. Place fresh pineapple chunks into hollowed pineapple shell.

6. Pour the cooled custard directly over the pineapple chunks.

7. Chill minimum 4 hours until fully set.

8. Before serving sprinkle sugar on top and torch in slow circular movements until deep amber and crackly.

Pineapple Sorbet:

Take your frozen pineapple chunks out of the freezer and let them sit for 5–8 minutes. Blend with the coconut water and lime juice until completely smooth and creamy — about 2–3 minutes. Spoon into the two hollowed pineapple shells and freeze for 2–3 hours until firm.

Before serving:

Take the sorbet pineapples out of the freezer 5–10 minutes before serving, this brings the texture from solid-frozen to perfectly creamy and scoopable.

Arrange a generous bed of crushed ice on a large round platter. Place the sorbet cups on the ice. Sprinkle an even layer of sugar over the top of the crème brûlée custard and torch in slow circular movements until deep amber and crackly. Place the brûlée pineapple in the centre, surrounded by the sorbet cups. Tuck fresh mint into each cup and serve immediately.

The warm torched top against the cold frozen sorbet is the magic of this dessert.

This recipe was inspired by the signature dessert at Casa Jondal in Ibiza. If you're ever on the island go and try it out.

Tag me @waterlemonhealth when you make it, I want to see your creations.