Pineapple Delight (or Pineapple Dream Dessert) is a Brazilian 3-layer trifle, containing pineapple compote, pastry cream, and Chantilly cream. Serve it either chilled or frozen... and is super refreshing!
What is pineapple delight?
Also known as delícia de abacaxi in Brazil, it consists of a 3-layer trifle, with a simple pineapple compote, vanilla custard cream (or pastry cream), and Chantilly cream.
Serve it either chilled and frozen, like a terrine!
It's a great way to make use of pineapple in desserts and have a refreshing treat for summer.
When is pineapple season?
Pineapple season is between April and September in the U.S.A. Hawaii is the only state where they are cultivated!
But you can import them from Brazil as well as Costa Rica and Philippines!
Ingredients and Substitutions
This pineapple delight recipe calls for 9 simple ingredients:
- Pineapple – Use the fresh fruit preferably and cut into cubes. Add part of the fresh pineapple juice along with the fruit chunks, water, and sugar. If you want, you can use another fruit instead such as mango, cherry, peach, or strawberries to vary this dessert recipe. This is no Hawaiian pineapple delight that calls for coconut flakes!
- Sugar – we used granulated sugar, but you can replace it with brown sugar, or half of each if you prefer!
- Cinnamon – we use the cinnamon stick to flavor the fruit compote!
- Condensed milk – is the main ingredient for making the vanilla custard cream or crème patisserie. The traditional French pastry cream doesn’t call for sweetened condensed milk but this ingredient is commonly used in South American dessert recipes like this one. It makes the custard cream sweeter and creamier!
- Milk – use whole milk which has more fat and makes the cream creamier and tastier!
- Cornstarch – It is the thickening agent for a custard cream. If you don't have it at home, replace it with all-purpose flour, but use double the amount you would for cornstarch.
- Eggs – The yolks will be added to the vanilla custard cream while the whites will be used in the chantilly cream.
- Vanilla extract – will flavor the 2 creams. Use only pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean seeds, never flavored vanilla.
- Heavy whipping cream – will be incorporated into the Chantilly cream.
How to make pineapple delight
Follow the steps below to this gluten-free dessert:
- To make the pineapple compote: Mix together cubed pineapple (plus any juice coming out of the fruit while cutting it), sugar, water, and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat for about 30-35 minutes, stirring now and then, or until the pineapple becomes tender, lightly golden brown, and the liquid nearly evaporates.
- My compote was prepared on the large stove-top burner. If you are cooking on a smaller burner, it will take about double the time mentioned above to fully cook. Near the end of the cooking process, keep a close eye on the compote to prevent burning, since the liquid will have almost evaporated (leave about ¼ cup of liquid for use later in the recipe).
- Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- To make the pastry cream: Pour the condensed milk into the medium stainless steel saucepan. Use its empty can to dissolve the cornstarch well in about 3 tablespoons of whole milk. Fill the measuring can with the remaining amount of milk and pour the milk and dissolved cornstarch into the saucepan.
- Because the mixture will be whisked, please do not use an aluminum saucepan. The whisk will scratch the bottom of the aluminum pan, causing chemical contamination as well as altering the color of the mixture.
- Stir in the egg yolks and vanilla bean seeds (if you are making yours with vanilla extract, add it to the mixture when it is cooked and just about to be removed from the heat).
- Whisk the mixture over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until it just starts to thicken. Then, reduce heat to medium-low and use a wooden spoon to continue stirring the mixture for about 4-5 minutes, resulting in a creamy and thickened mixture (yet thinner than a typical cake batter).
- Again, my custard cream was cooked on a large burner. If you are using a small burner to cook this mixture, it will take almost double the amount of time to cook. Remove from the heat, transfer custard cream to a glass container, place a sheet of plastic wrap right on the top of the custard cream (touching the custard), and let cool down on a rack (the plastic wrap will prevent a skin from forming on top of the custard). When the mixture cools completely, its texture will be quite thick and creamy, like a pastry cream.
- To make the chantilly cream: Using the whisker of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for about 30 seconds on medium speed. Then, add both the heavy cream and vanilla extract, and beat for about 15 seconds on low speed.
- To assemble the pineapple delight: If freezing this pineapple dream dessert, pour in the Chantilly cream in an even layer in a standard-size loaf baking pan. Freeze for about 45 minutes. Remove from the freezer, and pour custard cream on top in an even layer. Freeze for about 45-60 minutes. Then, remove from the freezer, take the cinnamon stick out of the pineapple compote, and using a slotted spoon, spoon the cooked pineapple cubes evenly over the dessert, making sure almost no liquid is spooned onto the loaf pan. Reserve about ¼ of the liquid in the refrigerator.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and freeze the trifle for at least 24 hours. Before serving, let it soften for about 5 minutes over the counter, and unmold the frozen pineapple delight by inverting it on a platter. Drizzle a little bit of the reserved refrigerated pineapple liquid on top if desired.
- Decorate as you wish, and slice to serve. Enjoy!
- If serving this pineapple dream dessert chilled, place the pineapple compote at the bottom of a pyrex, top with the pastry cream, and then with the Chantilly. Cover and refrigerate until set.
NOTE: The order of the layers is different, depending on if you serve it chilled or frozen.
Can I make this pineapple dream dessert with canned pineapple?
Although you can make this dessert with canned pineapple, I recommend using fresh pineapple. The compote will be fresher and less sweet, plus the pineapple chunks will be tender yet not mushy.
If making the compote with the canned fruit, it will take less time to cook!
Can you freeze this pineapple delight?
Yes, you can make ahead and freeze this dessert for up to a month, and also serve it frozen like a terrine.
Cover the pan in plastic wrap before freezing. Leave it at room temp for about 5 minutes to soften a little before slicing it and serving it frozen.
If you prefer to serve it chilled, thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
Is this a no-bake dessert?
Yes! This pineapple delight recipe is a no-bake dessert. You cook both the pineapple compote and the pastry cream on the stovetop. The Chantilly is a no-cook cream!
Is this recipe the same as Pineapple Lush or Pineapple Lasagna?
Yes! But Brazilian-style! This great recipe goes by many names, including pineapple lush, pineapple dream, and pineapple lasagna (and also ‘pineapple surprise’ in Brazil).
Differently from the American dessert under the same name, it has no cookie crust or crumbly topping!
Storage
Store the pineapple delight covered tightly with plastic wrap and chill for up to 5 days.
Or freeze the pineapple delight for up to one month, but let it soften a little (about 5 minutes) on the counter before slicing and serving frozen like a terrine.
Other no-bake layered desserts to enjoy
PIN & ENJOY!
Pineapple Delight (Pineapple Dream Dessert)
Equipment
- 2 saucepan
- 1 pyrex or loaf pan
Ingredients
For the Pineapple Compote:
- 1 medium fresh pineapple medium cubed
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar or light brown sugar. I used granulated in mine
- 1½ cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
For the Pastry Cream:
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 oz or 396 g
- 28 oz whole milk use the condensed milk can to measure the milk. It will yield about 3.5 cups of milk)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean. Split in half and scrape out the seeds (I used vanilla bean in mine)
For the Chantilly Cream:
- 3 egg whites chilled
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream chilled
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- To make the pineapple compote: Mix together cubed pineapple (plus any juice coming out of the fruit while cutting it), sugar, water, and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan.
- Cook over medium-high heat for about 30-35 minutes, stirring now and then, or until the pineapple becomes tender, lightly golden brown, and the liquid nearly evaporates.
- My compote was prepared on the large stove-top burner. If you are cooking on a smaller burner, it will take about double the time mentioned above to fully cook.
- Near the end of the cooking process, keep a close eye on the compote to prevent burning, since the liquid will have almost evaporated (leave about ¼ cup of liquid for use later in the recipe).
- Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- To make the pastry cream: Pour the condensed milk into the medium stainless steel saucepan. Use its empty can to dissolve the cornstarch well in about 3 tablespoons of whole milk. Fill the measuring can with the remaining amount of milk and pour the milk and dissolved cornstarch into the saucepan.
- Because the mixture will be whisked, please do not use an aluminum saucepan. The whisk will scratch the bottom of the aluminum pan, causing chemical contamination as well as altering the color of the mixture.
- Stir in the egg yolks and vanilla bean seeds (if you are making yours with vanilla extract, add it to the mixture when it is cooked and just about to be removed from the heat).
- Whisk the mixture over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until it just starts to thicken. Then, reduce heat to medium-low and use a wooden spoon to continue stirring the mixture for about 4-5 minutes, resulting in a creamy and thickened mixture (yet thinner than a typical cake batter).
- Again, my custard cream was cooked on a large burner. If you are using a small burner to cook this mixture, it will take almost double the amount of time to cook. Remove from the heat, transfer custard cream to a glass container, place a sheet of plastic wrap right on the top of the custard cream (touching the custard), and let cool down on a rack (the plastic wrap will prevent a skin from forming on top of the custard). When the mixture cools completely, its texture will be quite thick and creamy, like a pastry cream.
- To make the chantilly cream: Using the whisker of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for about 30 seconds on medium speed. Then, add both the heavy cream and vanilla extract, and beat for about 15 seconds on low speed.
- To assemble the pineapple delight: If freezing this pineapple dream dessert, pour in the Chantilly cream in an even layer in a standard-size loaf baking pan. Freeze for about 45 minutes. Remove from the freezer, and pour custard cream on top in an even layer. Freeze for about 45-60 minutes.
- Then, remove from the freezer, take the cinnamon stick out of the pineapple compote, and using a slotted spoon, spoon the cooked pineapple cubes evenly over the dessert, making sure almost no liquid is spooned onto the loaf pan. Reserve about ¼ of the liquid in the refrigerator.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and freeze the trifle for at least 24 hours. Before serving, let it soften for about 5 minutes over the counter, and unmold the frozen pineapple delight by inverting it on a platter. Drizzle a little bit of the reserved refrigerated pineapple liquid on top if desired.
- Decorate as you wish, and slice to serve. Enjoy!
- If serving this pineapple dream dessert chilled, place the pineapple compote at the bottom of a pyrex, top with the pastry cream, and then with the Chantilly. Cover and refrigerate until set.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
Post first published on September 5th, 2013.
SallyBR says
Ja' vou dando as parabens adiantados - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!!
Delicia de abacaxi.... wow, you always brings amazing recipes to my memory! Wonderful!
If Phil sees this post, he will BEG me to make it.. so I'll pin it for the future - my life right now is divided between before and after renovation, you know... 😉
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Sally! I do understand. I wish your renovation goes smooth and finish soon. Have a great evening!!!
The Café Sucre Farine says
Amen! To God be the Glory for creating such a special person like you, Denise! Wishing you His richest blessings as you celebrate these two wonderful occasions. Your trifle is beautiful and very festive! Sure do wish I could enjoy a slice of this with you :). Happy, happy birthday!
Denise Browning says
Thanks so much, Chris! Your message brought tears of joy to my eyes. I wish you'd live nearby so we could sit together and enjoy a slice of this treat. Have a great evening!!!
Mi Vida en un Dulce says
Tomorrow is your birthday...!!! Congratulations Denise, and nothing better than celebrating with something the remind your country.
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Nydia! I do appreciate it.
Julia | JuliasAlbum.com says
This trifle looks amazing, love these yellow-white colors! Tomorrow is your birthday - what a special day! Followed by Brazil's Independence Day. Truly 2 very special events. I can only imagine how excited you are! I really enjoyed this post, I can feel your energy, your happiness, your appreciation of life! Cheers to many more special days like that to come!
Denise Browning says
Thanks a lot, Julia, for your nice words and birthday wishes!
Ash-foodfashionparty says
A Very very happy Birthday to you and a Happy Independence Day! How fun.
This is a mighty sweet way to celebrate. Have fun.
Btw I love pineapple desserts and this is with condensed milk, I need a slice right now..
Denise Browning says
Thanks for the birthday wishes, Ash! I do appreciate...
Deb says
Our summer sunshine is just beginning! And a tropical dessert loaded with pineapple is a scrumptious way to savor the season! Happy birthday Denise! Have a delicious day!
Denise Browning says
Thanks a lot, Deb!
Amy Tong says
Happy Birthday to you! This Pineapple Delight Frozen Trifle is so gorgeous and refreshing. I can't wait to make one. Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend and celebration.
Denise Browning says
Oh, Amy...How kind of you!! Thank you so much. Wishing you a great weekend as well.
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen Notes says
Birthdays should always be celebrated. Happy belated day Denise! This dessert has all the details of a brazilian sweet, lovely!
Denise Browning says
Thank you, Paula, for your birthday wishes. I hope you had a great day as well. Happy B-day to you!!!!!!
Liz says
Hope you had a spectacular birthday and are continuing the celebration today! What a beautiful trifle. Though, I've never had a frozen version, I know I'd love it!
Denise Browning says
Thanks a lot, Liz!!!!!!
Raymund says
Wow that is heaven in a plate, i will definitely love with that dessert!
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Raymund!
Lail | With A Spin says
I hope you had a fabulous birthday. A belated Happy Birthday my friend.
Now, this pineapple truffle is something worth savoring. I would love to come over for a bite.
Denise Browning says
Thanks a lot, Lail! I had a great day...
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
Hope you had a fantastic birthday! Your pineapple truffle is out of the world! OMG this looks phenomenal. I feel like I can eat the whole thing - or wish to eat everything!
Denise Browning says
Thanks a lot, Nami! Yes, I did have a great birthday...Thanks for stopping by and for the b-day wishes!
Coffee and Crumpets says
Happy birthday my friend! Hope you had a fabulous day. Great birthday dessert.
Nazneen
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Nazneen! Yes, I had a great day... xx
Purabi Naha | Cosmopolitan Currymania says
This looks so tempting, Denise! I love trifle, and this trifle is just perfect...this birthday dessert is surely party stuff as well as comfort food! Hope you enjoyed your bithday, Denise. 🙂
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Purabi! I did! Happy belated birthday...I hope you have enjoyed yours!!
nusrat2010 says
Happy Birthday, Gorgeous! And Happy Independence Day!
That Trifle looks like a snow covered gold mine 🙂
Your photos are insanely beautiful and captivating and mesmerizing, as always 🙂
Thanks for the recipe for a dazzling, cool, awesome, delightful Dessert.
Love.
Denise Browning says
Thank you so much... I do appreciate your nice words and b-day wishes. Have a great week!
Sugar et al says
Belated birthday wishes my friend! What a brilliant choice of sweet treat to celebrate something as special as these 2 days. This looks absolutely stunning and I can imagine how it will taste!
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Sonali! I hope you have had a great day as well...
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
Happy Belated Birthday and Independence Day, Denise!! Hope you had a lot of fun 🙂
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Kiran! I had a great day...
Ana Helena says
This is one of my favorite desserts too Denise! My birthday is also in September:) i could read you had a a fantastic birthday but I still wanted to drop by and wish you a Feliz Aniversarios atrasados:):):) your recipe is gorgeous and vibrant... Love it!
Denise Browning says
Thanks a lot, Ana! I hope you have had a wonderful birthday...Wishing you the best!
Needful Things says
Never heard of a frozen trifle. This looks and sounds absolutely delicious!
Denise Browning says
Thank you! It is my favorite!!!