For A Standout Piña Colada, Add A Shot Of Irish Cream
Next to ice-cold beer and perfect sangria, who doesn't love a creamy frozen piña colada? Regardless of the weather, the classic combination of rum, cream of coconut, and pineapple juice transports your tastebuds to a tropical location with just one icy sip. Beyond following one of many classic recipes available, if you're looking for a new and creative way to upgrade your standard piña colada, look no further than Irish cream.
By definition, Irish cream is made by combining whiskey and heavy cream. You can make homemade Irish cream by flavoring these two central ingredients with espresso powder and vanilla for a signature taste, or go the easy route and use a popular variety like Bailey's. Since traditional piña coladas are made with cream of coconut, Irish cream gives your favorite frozen beverage an even creamier consistency. Considering Irish cream also has an alcohol-to-volume ratio of 15 to 20%, your upgraded Irish cream colada will contain more alcohol than a traditional recipe. This extra-rich cocktail combines the tangy flavors of pineapple with the sweet and complex taste of rich Irish cream for one exciting drinking experience. However, knowing when to add Irish cream to your next piña colada is essential.
How to make an Irish-cream-infused piña colada
Upgrading your original piña colada with Irish cream seems simple enough. Still, you might want to experiment with timing in preparation: Adding Irish cream to this frozen delight at the right time may prevent potential curdling.
Typically, pineapple juice doesn't cause separation in this icy treat since coconut cream is made from fresh coconut meat and water. However, you do need to be more mindful when adding a milk-based ingredient. The added fruit juice may cause Irish cream to curdle due to the opposing relationship between dairy and acid.
Even though heavy cream contains little casein or milk-derived proteins, these proteins can still become destabilized by bromelain, which is an enzyme found in pineapple. While certain Irish-infused piña colada recipes suggest adding every ingredient to your blender (including the additional Irish cream) and blending straight away, you may want to first combine your traditional piña colada ingredients before adding in the shot of Irish cream. Mixing pineapple juice with coconut cream and other liquids first may help soften the acidity of this tropical juice before you add that extra cream-based ingredient. Interestingly enough, since heat inactivates the bromelain enzyme, you can also temper the acidity of pineapple juice by using a pasteurized variety as opposed to fresh. But if you're worried about perfecting this new and improved piña colada, you can opt for a different tropical fruit.
You don't need pineapple to make an Irish-cream-infused colada
While you can make a pineapple-based piña colada with Irish cream, you may be hesitant due to the potential risk of separation in your final product. Luckily there's another option: Bananas are considered low on the acidity scale, making them a harmonious ingredient for that added shot of Irish cream.
Combine coconut cream or milk, rum, Irish cream, ice, and a portion of raw banana in your blender and mix. The coconut milk combined with the added banana creates a bright sweet flavor while the added Irish cream adds more depth and gives this alternative drink an extra creamy texture.
If you want to experiment with the combination of ingredients, feel free to add even more tropical notes by adding a bit of piña colada mix to the suggested ingredients. Just make sure to combine the piña colada mix with the other liquid components before adding in the Irish cream. To maximize the banana flavor, experiment by adding a touch of banana liquor. If you're tired of traditional piña coladas, you can either add a shot of Irish cream toward the end of the mixing process or try a banana colada for an extra flavorful twist.