Pineapple delight is a type of whipped dessert made with pineapple and cream. A sweet, fluffy treat, pineapple delight normally has three layers: a crust, a filling, and a topping. Although it is usually made without traditional cake ingredients, some versions are cake based. The term pineapple delight may also be used in conjunction with pineapple-based drinks as well.
The crust for this pineapple treat is made of graham crackers and butter. Graham cracker crusts can be store bought, but are easy to make at home. Usually placed in a plastic baggy, the graham crackers are crushed and poured into a bowl to mix with a small amount of melted butter. The crumbled crackers are then pressed into the bottom of a rectangular pan and briefly baked.
The filling layer is made from butter and icing sugar. Cream, milk, or eggs may also be added. Vanilla might be included for extra flavoring as well. The filling ingredients are simply mixed together and then spread across the cooled crust. If eggs are included, they are beaten into the mixture after the other ingredients are combined.
The topping layer always contains crushed, drained pineapple and whipping cream. If vanilla was not included in the filling mixture, it is included in the topping. Icing sugar may be added to this layer as well. The whipping cream, as well as the vanilla and sugar if included, are whipped together until stiff. Then, the pineapple is folded into stiffened cream.
The pineapple delight may be briefly baked after the filling layer is added, or the topping layer may be spread on top of the filling immediately after it is prepared. If the filling layer is baked first, it should be allowed to cool completely before the topping is added. Once all the layers are complete, crumbled graham crackers are sprinkled over the top, and the dessert is placed in a refrigerator to chill overnight. When its ready to serve, the pineapple delight is cut into squares.
There are also diabetic-friendly versions of this dessert. These versions use reduced-fat graham crackers, sugar-free lemon gelatin, cottage cheese, and a sugar substitute. Corn starch, water, and butter are also included. The crushed pineapple should be unsweetened. These versions are more pie-like, in that they just include the graham cracker crust and the blended filling.
In addition to the light dessert, pineapple delight may refer to a type of smoothie made primarily with pineapple. Milk, honey, and bananas may also be included. A type of alcoholic drink made with pineapple juice and coconut rum is also called a pineapple delight.