Join lifestyle expert Gretchen Connelie in the kitchen for a taste of the island lifestyle – no island required! Relax at home for this cooking demo and log on to the Instagram LIVE “Cocktail Club” @tommybahamarestauran

t Tuesday, May 7, 6:00pm EST/3:00pm PST.

This Week’s Topic: Tommy Bahama Pineapple Crème Brulee. Taken from the pages of the first Tommy Bahama cookbook, Flavors of Aloha, this spectacular dessert is made using pineapple shells as the cups, filling each “cup” with caramelized fruit and custard and then topped with a sugar crust. It makes a very impressive presentation and is surprisingly easy to pull off. You’ll need a butane kitchen torch for the brulee topping, but that’s the fun part!

Item of the Week: Pineapple Porcelain Salad/Dessert Plates – A large-scale golden pinapple design adorns these procelain plates. The whimsical motif is perfect to perk-up any table setting and is ideal for salad or desserts.

Tommy Bahama Pineapple Crème Brulee

Makes 6 Servings

Pineapple and Filling:

2 ripe pineapples

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Custard:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, or 1 tsp vanilla extract

6 large eggs, plus 6 large egg yolks

1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp granulated sugar

9 tsp granulated sugar

Whipped Cream

6 fresh strawberries, for garnish

Special Equipment: Butane kitchen torch

To prepare the pineapple shells: Slice off the bottom and crown of leaves from each pineapple. Using scissors snip off and refrigerate 12 to 18 of the best-looking small pineapple leaves. Cut the pineapples cross-wise into 6 rounds, each about 1 1/2 in thick. Do not peel the pineapple rounds. Reserve the remaining pineapple for another use. Cover and refrigerate the pineapple shells until serving.

For each shell, using a small, sharp knife, cut an incision about 1/4 in from the edge around the inside circumference of a pineapple round, being sure not to cut all the way through to the bottom. Using a melon baller, scoop out and discard the central core, leaving about 1/4 in of fruit on the bottom of the shell. Scoop out the pineapple within the incision, leaving a shell about 1/4 in thick. Finely chop the pineapple flesh. You should have 2 cups/380 g. Transfer the chopped pineapple to a medium bowl and stir in the brown sugar.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pineapple mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the juices have evaporated and the pineapple is browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Return to the bowl and let cool completely. Stir in the vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.

To make the custard: Bring the heavy cream and vanilla bean halves to a simmer in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and let steep for 5 minutes. Using the tip of a small, sharp knife, scrape the seeds from the bean halves into the cream, discarding the bean halves. Whisk the eggs, yolks, and granulated sugar together in a medium heat-proof bowl. Gradually whisk in the hot cream mixture. Return to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat a wooden spoon (your finger should leave a path in the custard) and an instant-read thermometer reads 185ºF/85ºC. Do not boil. Pour the custard through a sieve into a heat-proof bowl. (Stir in the vanilla extract now, if using.) Let cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and thickened, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.

Divide the pineapple mixture evenly among the pineapple shells, spreading it evenly. Place the rounds on a baking sheet. Spoon equal amounts of the custard into each round and smooth the custard with a small spatula. Cover each with a piece of waxed or parchment paper and refrigerate until serving, at least 1 or up to 4 hours.

To serve: Sprinkle each custard evenly with 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar. Using the torch, wave the flame about 1/2 in/12 mm above the custard to caramelize the sugar. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-in fluted tip with the whipped cream. Pipe a large rosette of whipped cream onto each custard and insert 2 or 3 pineapple leaves into each rosette. Garnish each with a straw­berry. Serve immediately.