A deceptively easy dessert with cheat’s ice cream and four-ingredient coconut biscuits. 

Recipe: Lucy Corry  Photo and styling: Carolyn Robertson

These are great to have up your sleeve for summer entertaining. The biscuits keep well in an airtight container, and the ice cream doesn’t require fancy equipment.

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

For the coconut biscuits:
3 free-range egg whites
¾ cup caster sugar
finely grated zest of 1 lime (or use lemon if limes are in short supply)
3 cups desiccated coconut

For the pineapple ice cream:
450g can crushed pineapple in juice
300ml cream
½ x 400g can condensed milk
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice and zest of 1 lime

METHOD

Heat the oven to 170°C. Line a shallow tray measuring 22cm x 32 cm with baking paper. Put all the biscuit ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Tip the mixture onto the lined tray and top with another baking paper. Using your hands, a glass or a small rolling pin, press the mixture to a thin, even layer (the top piece of baking paper avoids the mixture sticking to your hands).

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until pale gold. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then cut into 16-18 even rectangles. Store in an airtight container.

For the ice cream, drain the pineapple in a sieve set over a bowl and press the fruit flesh with a fork, so as much liquid drains out as possible. (Save the juice for a morning smoothie, or chill and drink as a cook’s perk.)

Whip the cream until it just reaches the soft peak stage. Pour in the condensed milk, lime juice and zest and add a pinch of salt. Stir until combined.

Fold through the drained pineapple. Pour into a plastic container or lined tin. Cover and freeze for five to six hours. Remove from the freezer and allow to soften for 10 minutes before serving.

To assemble the sandwiches, turn the ice cream out onto a clean board. Slice into pieces to fit the biscuits you made earlier, then use the ice cream to sandwich the biscuits together. Sprinkle over extra lime zest and serve immediately.

Love this story? Subscribe now!