Words by Simon Difford
Cream of coconut is a non-alcoholic sticky goo not to be confused with coconut cream. Cream of Coconut is made by mixing coconut juice, sugar, emulsifier, cellulose, thickeners, citric acid and salt and is sold in 15oz/425ml cans.
Cream of coconut is most often used to make a Puerto Rican-style Piña Colada, and one can makes 14 to 25 drinks depending on how sweet you like your Piña Coladas. Once opened, the can's contents should be stored in a refrigerator: this may thicken the product, so returning to room temperature may be required prior to use.
The original brand of cream of coconut is Coco Lopez, which was developed in 1948 in Puerto Rico by Don Ramón Lopez-Irizarry - hence the Puerto Rican connection and the believable 1952 date for the creation of the modern-day Piña Colada at the Caribe Hilton Hotel. Some say the drink did not acquire its name until the 1960s - perhaps that's where Ramón Portas Mingot and the Barrachina restaurant come into play. (See Piña Colada history.)
