Can I Omit The Coconut Rum From The Pina Colada Ice Cream?

Our answer

Nigella's No-Churn Pina Colada Ice Cream (from KITCHEN) echoes the flavours of the classic cocktail with rum, pineapple and coconut. The coconut flavour comes from both the Malibu liqueur and also coconut essence. Coconut essence is the same as coconut extract. You can find it in some supermarkets, cake decorating stores or on line from some internet suppliers. It can be quite strong in flavour, so add only a few drops at a time. If you taste the mixture as you add the coconut extract, bear in mind that the flavour will mute slightly once the cream has been added and the ice cream has frozen.

The coconut-flavoured rum helps not only with the flavour of the ice cream but also its texture. Adding a small amount of alcohol slightly reduces the temperature at which the mixture freezes, giving a smoother texture that is easier to scoop. If the alcohol is omitted then the ice cream will freeze more solid and have a harder, more icy texture. You will need to move the ice cream from the freezer to the fridge about 30 minutes before serving, to let the ice cream "ripen" before eating it. You may also like to add a few extra drops of coconut extract to offset the loss of the coconut flavour from the rum.