Re-Inventing the Lamington Day Eight: Pina Colada Lamingons

(In which Mr. P embraces the official beverage of Puerto Rico.)

I know what you're thinking.

He's not serious.

He can't possibly...

Well, I am and, what's more, I can.

I'm almost ashamed to say it, but when I first became a legal drinker, my tipple of choice was pina colada. I didn't really like taste of other alcoholic drinks, and was always (am still) drawn to the kind of drink that comes with an umbrella hanging out of the glass. What I must have looked like... In fairness though, I wasn't alone. A group of us sixth formers would always go for cocktails on Fridays.



Of course, this was all years ago, and whereas you'd now most likely find me nursing a pint of creamy ale (forced attendance at CAMRA beer festivals on more than one occasion has changed my palate somewhat), I still have fond memories of those yellow drinks.

I wonder what CAMRA would make of that?

When I was making the Cherry Ripe Lamingtons, I suddenly thought about Pina Coladas, and how I hadn't had one in a long time. And that was it. They cried out to be made.

In fairness, they aren't as much of a success as the Cherry Ripes. The pineapple flavour is hard to detect, and I'd drench the cake cubes in the juice from the pineapple tin if I made these again. In fact, I would probably use fresh pineapple.

Even so, I liked these a lot. Fun lamingtons, and good memories of times gone by!


Pina Colada Lamingtons

You will need:

1/2 quantity Mr. P's Lamington Base
1 small tin of pineapple chunks in juice
400g dessicated coconut
100g sifted icing sugar
250ml double cream
400g plain chocolate, chopped

1. Cut the cake into 16 squares, and slice each in half horizontally so as to make thin sandwiches.
2. Mix half of the coconut with the icing sugar, 50ml cream and the chopped pineapple cubes. Add some juice too, to make a thick paste. It won't be brightly coloured, but you could add yellow colouring if you like. I didn't.
3. Melt the chocolate and remaining cream together, and allow to cool.
4. Spread the tops of half of the cake squares with about 1 tbsp of the filling, and top with another cake square. Press together firmly.
5. Dip these sandwiches into the chocolate and cream, before rolling them in coconut. It helps to put the coconut in a shallow dish.
6. Stand on a wire rack to set for an hour or so. It's not in the photographs, but we had these with a scoop of ice-cream, and it was a good move.

Don't forget to Re-Invent the Lamington! Deadline 26 January.