Pina Colada with a Pineapple Flower

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe pineapple
• 2 cups pineapple juice, chilled
• 1 cup white rum, chilled
• 3/4 cup coconut cream for chilled drinks
• 6 cups of ice

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 110°C. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
2. Pineapple flowers:
   Pineapple is a festive fruit—we love slicing it on cakes and savoring its chunks in fruit salads. But thinly sliced ​​and slowly dried in the oven, pineapple blooms into delicate flowers that look especially lovely as a garnish for a piña colada..
   
   Cut off the top of the pineapple and the bottom 1 cm thick so that it stands flat on the cutting board.
3. Cut the pineapple peel from top to bottom into 5cm wide strips.
4. Using a small watermelon scoop or teaspoon, remove all the eyes from the pineapple flesh.
5. Place the pineapple on its side and cut 12 slices as thinly as possible.
   
   
6. Place the slices on a baking sheet and bake until almost completely dry and light golden brown around the edges, about 3 hours.
   
   
7. Remove from the oven and immediately transfer each flower to a muffin tin, pressing the center into the bottom. Let set completely for 1 hour.
8. Cocktail:
   
   Combine pineapple juice, rum, coconut cream, ice, and a pinch of salt in a blender and blend until a nice layer of foam forms on top.
9. Pour into 4 glasses and garnish with pineapple flowers. Leftover flowers can be stored in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.