Coco Lopez cream of coconut is an indispensable component to creating tropical beverages, and its eye-catching bright blue background and cartoon of a grinning bird make it stand out in any grocery aisle.
“Escape” by Rupert Holmes in 1979 immortalized this popular poolside drink; yet creating it wasn’t an effortless endeavor.
Coconut Cream
Coconut cream is an indispensable component of tropical beverages like pina coladas. This rich, syrup-like product has the consistency of sweetened condensed milk and can be found in numerous tropical drinks and dessert recipes such as pina coladas or coconut lime popsicles; additionally it can also be used in baking such as delicious coconut cheesecake.
Homemade coconut cream or the Coco Lopez brand were both invented in Puerto Rico during the 1950s, alongside creation of its signature cocktail: pina colada. Both options offer similar results.
Pour the rum, pineapple juice and coconut cream* into a blender along with some ice. Blend until the mixture turns frothy before pouring it into glasses garnished with pineapple wedges or cherries and serving immediately.
Pineapple Juice
Coconut cream and pineapple juice are key components of Coco Lopez pina coladas, providing sweet tropical notes while being great for your health: pineapple is packed full of vitamin C and bromelain that help reduce inflammation while aiding digestion.
When purchasing pineapple juice, select an unsweetened and frozen brand for optimal results. This will guarantee your drink has an unrivaled smooth texture, while frozen pineapple provides added sweetness that you need in your drink. Adding garnishes like pieces of pineapple and maraschino cherries gives it more of an attractive appearance and makes this drink great for serving guests at parties or enjoying at home with family.
Rum
While you can purchase pina colada mixes at most grocery stores, nothing beats making one from scratch – fresh pina coladas are deliciously refreshing and exotically tropical!
Pina coladas contain cream of coconut as one of their key components, an unsweetened mixture of coconut milk and sugar. Coco Lopez is widely considered to be the superior commercial brand available; however, other options can also be considered.
Avoid adding water or other liquids as this will dilute and compromise the flavor of your drink. Instead, choose high-quality rum as this will add its signature coconut and pineapple flavors into the drink – pineapple wedges make an attractive garnish but maraschino cherries, strawberries or other fruits can also add depth.
Sweetener
Finish your drink off right by garnishing it with a slice of pineapple with its peel still attached, maraschino cherry, paper umbrella, and straw for an authentic experience – and sip away to happiness!
When creating the pina colada, Coco Lopez cream of coconut should always be used. Other brands may contain too much water or other synthetic ingredients that dilute its flavor. You could also experiment with coconut butter such as Liko Lehua which is actually made with milk but has a similar texture as its coconut cream counterpart.
Substituting water for the rum can create an ideal non-alcoholic version of this drink – perfect for hot summer days or any time you desire an exotic beverage sans alcohol!
Garnish
A coconut pina colada should feature the traditional toppings: pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry. You could also include an umbrella as an added flourish. If pineapples are unavailable, consider substituting with shredded coconut or another tropical garnish instead.
For a healthier version of this cocktail, simply replace the rum with non-alcoholic mocktail. It still tastes delectable and makes an ideal beverage choice on a warm summer day!
Make sure to use Coco Lopez cream of coconut for the best flavor; you can find it at most large supermarkets in their cocktail mixers or international foods aisle. Dark rum can alter the taste, while too much ice may dilute its essence.