This entire dessert stemmed from me making togarashi-honey “dole whip”, and needing to create an entire plate around that ice cream. Since I have leftover pineapple, it just made sense to make something with it, and I opted for a pineapple upside down cake, and to make it almost like a pina colada, I went with a coconut crumble to be the bed beneath the quenelle of “dole whip”. For the ice cream, it’s a coconut milk and pineapple base, while for the cake, it’s a brown sugar cake with caramelized pineapple at the bottom. For my crumble, I went semi-molecular, and did toasted coconut flakes, and a maltodextrin powder using coconut oil and salt. All in all, it’s a simple, straightforward, but balanced dessert.

Makes 12 portions:
For the “dole whip”
1 cup diced pineapple
1 can coconut milk
2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon togarashi powder
a pinch of salt

In a pot, reduce the pineapple with other ingredients on low heat until the liquid is cooked down by about half and the pineapple is fork-tender. Puree and sieve to remove any excess fibers. Cool down completely before churning in an ice cream maker. Freeze until firm.

For the pineapple cake:
1/3 cup diced pineapple
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted +  1 tablespoon
1 egg
1/2 cup coconut milk
a pinch of salt
a pinch of cinnamon
a pinch of nutmeg
a pinch of sumac

Saute the pineapple with the tablespoon of coconut oil until the exterior of the fruit is well caramelized. Combine the other ingredients to form a batter. Distribute the pineapple into the bottom of silicone bar molds. Allow the pineapple to cool down to room temperature. Pipe the batter on top of the pineapple and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. If necessary, slice the rounded tops of the cakes so that you have a rectangular piece for plating.

For the maltodextrin powder:
1/4 cup tapioca maltodextrin
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
a pinch of salt

Blitz together into a powder.

For the toasted coconut:
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

On a sheet tray, bake at 350 degrees F for 2-3 minutes. Cool completely before mixing into the coconut powder.