Pineapple Shaved Ice Tastes Like Summer And Only Requires One Ingredient

Many people turn to ice cream to cool down on a hot day, but shaved ice is arguably an even better treat to beat the heat. Traditionally made from finely shaved ice flavored with colorful syrups, this beloved dessert is light, refreshing, and hydrating — three things you want when the temperatures start to soar. Unfortunately, unless you have the proper tools, getting ice cubes to the right consistency for shaved ice isn't easy, but what if we told you there was a way to ditch the frozen H2O altogether?

This may sound a little silly. After all, what is shaved ice without the ice? However, it turns out that pineapple is the only ingredient you need to concoct this quintessential summertime treat at home. Just cut the prickly fruit into spears and pop them in your freezer on a parchment-lined baking sheet for at least three hours.

A grater or a microplane is the perfect tool to easily turn frozen fruit into homemade shaved ice that has the perfect summer flavor built right in. When the pineapple is completely frozen, simply grate it into a bowl. The treat will be ready to eat, but you can kick it up a notch with toppings such as sweetened condensed milk, coconut, Tajin, or even a homemade chamoy sauce.

One-ingredient pineapple shaved ice is an excellent dish to cool down with when just the thought of going outside makes you sweat. However, while pineapple is a classic summertime fruit, it's not the only option you have when making this simple dessert. Virtually any fruit can be transformed into a frosty treat using the freeze-and-grate method, including watermelon, mangoes, oranges, and peaches. Just be sure to remove the peel before popping them in the freezer.

You can even grab a bag of frozen fruit (such as whole frozen strawberries) from the freezer section of your grocery store. However, other berries, like raspberries or blueberries, may pose a bit of a problem. Not only do their smaller sizes make them harder to grate, but you'll also have to shave down a large quantity to fill up an entire bowl. This can be time-consuming and potentially cause some of the fruit shavings to melt before you're able to dig in.

Still, if you're committed to raspberry shaved ice, popping your bowl into the freezer to chill it ahead of time can help make the shavings last longer, or you can combine a few shaved blueberries or raspberries with another frozen fruit to create a seriously delicious summertime snack in no time.