V.V.’s Pineapple Filling 🍍

I have been recruited to make some cupcakes for my school’s end of year get-together. When there are non-vegans feasting on my cupcakes, I don’t cut any corners. I am a vegan ambassador! Having used canned pineapple for my last cupcake endeavor and not being all too impressed, I had to make my own recipe for pineapple filling without the cans. Just mostly fresh, ripe pineapple. 🍍

2 medium pineapples, diced

1 and 1/2 cups water

1 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon potato starch

2 Tablespoons Dark rum (optional)

1.) Pick two ripe pineapples. Though there are several ways to do this, I do it through my sense of smell. Take a whiff of the base of the pineapple. It should smell like sweet pineapple, not fermented. It also should yield to the touch. Other methods for checking ripeness: Look for golden yellow skin (as opposed to brown and green, though it could be mixed). The leaves should look healthy and not wilted. The guy at the last fruit stand I went to helped me pull at the leaves of his pineapple stock. He said that if a leaf pulls out easily, the pineapple is ripe.

2.) Get a compost bag ready for the trimming. Cut off the top, then down the sides, then the bottom. Don’t go nuts about scooping out the eyes or sacrificing flesh just to get everything all yellow. It’s a real pineapple and you’re using a knife; you’re not a machine.

3.) Now cut long vertical pieces off the core. Cut them in half widthwise (or thirds if they are thick), then cut them horizontally and vertically to dice. (Is there an easier name for this process? Not sure.) Repeat that process with the second pineapple.

4.) Put all diced pineapple into a large sauce pan along with the sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat.

5.) Cover and let it cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, uncover and let it cook for another 30-40 minutes or until water is reduced, stirring often towards the end. Adjust for sweetness if need be.

6.) Once all water has been reduced and the sweetness is adjusted, lower the heat to low. Add the potato starch and mix well. It should thicken and become glossy.

7.) Turn off the heat. Then use an immersion blender to achieve the desired texture. Since mine will be filling for a cupcake, I wanted to keep some chunks but not too chunky. And since these were going to be “adult” cupcakes, I put in some dark rum in the mix before blending.