This cooling piña colada recipe makes the perfect summer drink

For some, the piña colada may conjure up visions of gaudy concoctions festooned with paper parasols and straws, but for others, this is tropical sunshine in a glass. The exact history of the cocktail is somewhat disputed, but there’s no arguing with the fact that its three main ingredients – rum, pineapple juice and coconut cream – make its Caribbean origins crystal clear.

Judging by the number of versions we’ve spotted around London (Oblix at The Shard does one with white chocolate, Coupette adds champagne, while Dishoom’s take features chai syrup and lime juice), everyone seems to be having wistful thoughts of magical or far-flung getaways, but we prefer piña colada classically elegant, topped with a maraschino cherry.

Follow our recipe for piña colada the Wallpaper* way…

Ingredients

for 1 cocktail

120ml pineapple juice
60ml white rum
60ml coconut cream
1 teaspoon of sugar (optional)
a handful of ice
1 wedge of fresh pineapple
1 maraschino cherry

Recipe 

Measure the pineapple juice, rum, coconut cream (and a teaspoon of sugar if desired), into a blender and add a handful of ice.
Pulse until smooth and pour into a tall glass.
Garnish the cocktail with a wedge of pineapple and a cherry stuck on a long skewer.
Note that the teaspoon of sugar is optional, but we like our piña colada on the sweeter side. The maraschino cherry is key.