This luscious and creamy no-bake pineapple fridge tart is guaranteed to satisfy your sweet cravings. With just 5 simple ingredients and 15 minutes of your time, this recipe is quick and easy to make. Trust me, once you try it for yourself you’ll be hooked on the irresistible taste of this tangy pineapple dessert!
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No-bake pineapple fridge tart
Why not indulge yourself in one of my all-time favourite desserts – a no-bake pineapple fridge tart. This recipe has been a family favourite for years and is perfect for those of you looking for a light and refreshing chilled dessert. The mouthwatering combination of flavours and textures will leave you and your family craving more. So why not give it a try and see why this recipe has stood the test of time?
Despite its creamy texture, my pineapple fridge tart recipe doesn’t contain any cream. Instead, the filling is prepared by whipping evaporated milk until it thickens, which is then combined with layers of fruit and crispy coconut-flavored biscuits (or cookies). And with only 113 calories per slice, you can be excused for taking an extra helping.
If you want to reduce the calories even further you can leave out the cookies and spoon the filling into individual glasses. It will thicken and set in the fridge, a bit like a mousse. The calories would drop to only 48, making this the ideal dessert for those of you who are on a diet.
It’s a versatile recipe too. I’ve used pineapples, which provide a lovely tangy flavour. But you could use any canned fruit of your choice. I’ve tried it with canned pears and or peaches, which work really well. And if you would like a more exotic flavour, why not use a can of lychees?
Apart from dissolving a packet of jelly in the pineapple juice in a saucepan, there is absolutely no cooking involved. Just mix, assemble and leave in the fridge for a few hours to set.
South African fridge tarts
South Africa is well known for its fridge tarts, the most iconic of which is a peppermint crisp fridge tart, which is a decadent, gooey dessert, made with condensed milk and peppermint chocolate. I defy anyone to have more than one slice.
I much prefer the lighter fridge tarts though, such as this pineapple fridge tart that I am sharing today, and this citrus cheesecake. Contrary to its name, this citrus cheesecake does not contain any cheese. Instead, it gets its fresh tangy taste from Greek yoghurt.
What you will need
Equipment
- Small saucepan for melting the jelly with the pineapple juice.
- Mixing bowl for mixing up the filling.
- If you have one, a food processor for chopping up the pineapple, or you can chop up the pineapple with a sharp knife instead.
- For whisking the evaporated milk you will need a whisk or electric hand-mixer.
- 2 – 8.5 ” x 7″ dishes for assembling the tart.
Ingredients
**You can find the complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making this pineapple fridge tart on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**
This recipe will make 2 tarts, both approximately 10″ by 8″ in size.
You will only need 5 ingredients :
- Flavoured jelly (or jello if you live in the US). I’ve used lime flavour because I wanted to enhance the tropical flavour, but a lemon or pineapple flavour would work just as well. You can use the gelatine type of jelly, as I’ve used here, or you can use jelly crystals.
- A can of pineapple slices (or other fruit of your choice). The fruit gets chopped finely in a food processor.
- Evaporated milk (NOT the sweeter condensed milk). Evaporated milk is simply milk that has been heated until half of the water content has been removed.
- Coconut milk – this is optional but I like to add an extra coconut flavour to the tart. For an even stronger coconut taste you could add one or two tablespoons of desiccated coconut.
- Nice biscuits (or if you live in the US, Graham crackers). The original version of this dessert uses a South African biscuit/cookie called Tennis biscuits which are thin coconut/caramel-flavoured biscuits/cookies.
- The closest substitute for Tennis biscuits that I can find in the UK is Nice biscuits (they are stamped with the word NICE). For my US readers, I believe the closest substitute would be Graham crackers. However, any thin shortcake-type cookie will work. The biscuit/cookie has to be thin enough to absorb some of the filling, as this is what helps thicken the tart.
Update – one of my readers suggested using Biscoff biscuits. I think the flavour of these would be perfect.
What to do
Make the filling
Open the can of pineapple and drain the juice into a small saucepan. Add the jelly and allow it to dissolve on a low heat. Leave to cool slightly.
Place the pineapple pieces into a food processor and blitz until they are finely chopped. You could do this using a sharp knife if you don’t have a food processor.
Pour the evaporated milk into a large mixing bowl and whisk with a hand-mixer until it starts to thicken. If you chill the evaporated milk before using it, you will find it will thicken faster when you whisk it.
Stir the dissolved jelly and pineapple juice, the chopped pineapple and the coconut milk into the evaporated milk. If you are adding extra coconut, then you can add it at this point.
Assemble the tart
Arrange a layer of biscuits on the bottom of your dish.
Cover with a layer of the milk and pineapple mixture.
Add a second layer of biscuits.
Add a final layer of milk and pineapple mixture and sprinkle with crushed biscuit crumbs.
You can crush the biscuits in a plastic bag with a rolling pin to turn them into crumbs.
Place the pineapple cake in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and allow it to set.
Eat a slice before anyone finds out you’ve made this delicious cake. It will disappear before you know it 🙂 .
Variations
You can vary this fridge tart by substituting different fruits for the pineapple. Peaches and pears work well, but you can use any fruit that has been canned in juice. You will need the juice from the fruit to dissolve the jelly.
If you want to make a lighter dessert, you can pour the filling into individual serving dishes, without adding the biscuits, for a deliciously creamy, fruity mousse. Place the individual bowls in the refrigerator to set for a few hours before eating.
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Other recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, you may like to try some of my other dessert recipes:
- Easy apple cake traybake – a one dish apple cake with a soft spongy crumb.
- Boozy black forest trifle – who says trifle is only for Christmas? You can enjoy this delicious chocolate flavoured trifle whenever you want a bit of indulgence.
- Easy coconut pie – this pie is mixed in one bowl, but separates into three distinct layers as it bakes.
- Easy Portuguese custard tarts – creamy custard filling baked in a crispy puff pastry shell.
- Classic lemon meringue pie – tangy lemon filling topped with fluffy meringue in a crispy pastry shell.
The recipe
No-bake pineapple fridge tart
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Ingredients
- 14 ounce / 410 gram can evaporated milk
- 14 ounce / 410 gram can pineapple chunks/rings
- 2 packets coconut flavoured biscuits 8 ounces / 225 grams each
- 2 packets lime flavoured jelly (135 grams or 4.75 ounces each) or pineapple or lemon flavour
- ¾ cup / 180 ml coconut milk
Instructions
- Open the can of fruit and pour the juice into a saucepan.14 ounce / 410 gram can pineapple chunks/rings
- Add the jelly to the pineapple juice and heat gently until the jelly has dissolved. If you are using jelly crystals you should stir them as it heats. Allow it to cool sliightlyd.2 packets lime flavoured jelly (135 grams or 4.75 ounces each)
- Cut the pineapple into small pieces or blend them in a food processor.
- Pour the evaporated milk into a mixing bowl and whisk vigourously until the milk has thickened and trebled in volume.14 ounce / 410 gram can evaporated milk
- Pour the cooled jelly and the fruit, along with the coconut milk, into the thickened milk and mix well.¾ cup / 180 ml coconut milk
- Arrange a single layer of cookies in an 8" x 10" dish.2 packets coconut flavoured biscuits
- Cover the cookies with one-quarter of the milk/fruit mixture.
- Repeat with a second layer of cookies and another quarter of the milk/fruit mixture.
- Crush a few of the remaining cookies into crumbs and sprinkle over the top of the cake.
- Repeat to make a second tart with the remaining mixture
- Place the tarts into the fridge for at least 3 hours to allow them to set.
- Serve chilled.
Notes
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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I’m retired and lived in the UK ten years now but my South African roots still appreciate your recipes. I’ve made a few of your recipes and love them. I’ve got so many milk tart recipes but would like to know if you have a tried and tested one that you like.
Thanks for the hard work you put into this blog.
Estelle
Hi Estelle – perhaps you’d like to try this milk tart recipe.
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
Great, thanks for letting me know 🙂
Thanks for recipe! Always loved the Pineapple “Yskastert”, but tomorrow will be the first time I will make it myself. Regards.
I hope it turns out well for you Magda. Thanks for the comment 🙂 x