• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Foodle Club

  • By Category
    • All Recipes
    • Bread and scones
    • Cakes, cookies and desserts
    • Curry Recipes
    • How to …..
    • Main Meals
    • Picnics and Barbeques
    • Sauces, dips and marinades
    • Savoury Treats
    • Sides and salads
    • Collections
  • By Ingredient
    • Beef
    • Cheese
    • Chicken
    • Fish and Seafood
    • Lamb
    • Mushrooms
    • Pasta
    • Pork
    • Recipes using vegetables
  • By Cuisine
    • British
    • South African
    • Asian inspired
    • Italian inspired
    • German inspired
  • The Calculator
  • Free stuff
  • Meet Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
Home » Cakes, Cookies and Desserts » No-bake pineapple fridge tart

No-bake pineapple fridge tart

Author: VJ Published : June 2020 Updated : February 2023 / 6 people have commented

Recipe
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Yummly
  • Twitter
  • Whatsapp

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!

A slice of no-bake pineapple fridge tart on a plate.

**As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.**

Table Of Contents
  1. No-bake pineapple fridge tart
  2. South African fridge tarts
  3. What you will need
  4. What to do
  5. Variations
  6. Save for later
  7. Other recipes
  8. The recipe
  9. No-bake pineapple fridge tart

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.

A slice of pineapple fridge tart on a plate next to a cup of tea.

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 evapourated 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.

Ingredients for no-bake pineapple fridge tart.

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.
  • Evapourated milk (NOT the sweeter condensed milk). Evapourated 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

A jelly dissolving in pineapple juice.

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.

Pineapple being chopped in a food processor.

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.

Evapourated milk being whisked in a mixing bowl.

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.

Pineapple and dissolved jelly added to evapourated milk in a mixing bowl.

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

A layer of biscuits in a dish.

Arrange a layer of biscuits on the bottom of your dish.

Biscuits in a dish covered with a layer of pineapple filling.

Cover with a layer of the milk and pineapple mixture.

A second layer of biscuits added to the pudding.

Add a second layer of biscuits.

The finished pineapple fridge cake covered with biscuit crumbs.

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.

If you’d like to be notified of any new recipes, why not subscribe to my newsletter. As a thank-you gift, you will receive a free recipe e-book containing some of my most popular cakes and desserts.

A slice of pineapple fridge cake on a plate next to a cup of tea.

Save for later

If you would like to make this no-bake pineapple fridge tart recipe why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click the image below.

Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.

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

A slice of pineapple fridge tart on a plate next to a cup of tea.

No-bake pineapple fridge tart

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!
Recipe by: Veronica
Dessert
South African inspired
Calories 113
Prep 15 minutes
Set in fridge 3 hours
Cook 0 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 2 8.5″ x 7″ tarts
Print Pin Comment Bookmark Saved!
Prevent your screen from going dark
5 from 3 votes

(Click the stars to rate this recipe)

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • 12″ diameter pie dish
  • Spatula
  • Balloon whisk or
  • Electric hand mixer

Ingredients

  • 14 ounce / 410 gram can evapourated 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 evapourated milk into a mixing bowl and whisk vigourously until the milk has thickened and trebled in volume.
    14 ounce / 410 gram can evapourated 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

Variations
You can vary this tart by using different fruits. Peaches and pears work well, but you can use any fruit that is canned in juice. You will need the juice from the fruit to dissolve the jelly/jello.
If you want to make a lighter dessert, you can pour the filling into individual serving dishes, without adding the cookies for a delicious creamy, fruity mousse
Size of dish
I used 2 dishes – 8.5 inch x 7 inch in size – with 2 layers of biscuits and 2 layers of filling.  You could make this into one larger dessert using a larger dish, and an extra layer of filling and biscuits if you wish.
Consistency
Because the tart contains 2 packets of jelly, it will set firm enough to enable you to slice it.  If you prefer a softer dessert you can use one packet of jelly instead but you will find it will not be firm enough to slice and you will have to scoop the dessert with a spoon to serve it.
Nutrition
Nutrition  has been calculated on the assumption that you will make two tarts and each will be cut into 9 slices (18 slices in total) and is per slice.

Nutrition

Calories – 113kcal | Carbohydrates – 14.4g | Protein – 1.6g | Fat – 5.6g | Saturated Fat – 2.5g | Cholesterol – 2mg | Sodium – 9mg | Potassium – 73mg | Fiber – 0.8g | Sugar – 4g | Calcium – 23mg

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.

Unless otherwise stated, a cup is the standard US cup containing 240 ml. In all my recipes this cup is assumed to hold 140g of flour. For help converting other ingredients between cups, grams, ounces and other measures, see my recipe conversion calculator.
All my recipes are developed and tested at sea-level. For tips on adjusting recipes for high altitudes see my post on baking at high altitudes.
Tried this recipe?If you made this recipe I’d love it if you could leave me a comment and let me know how it went!
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

If you made this recipe and enjoyed it, I’d love it if you could give me a star rating in the comments below. And if you’d like to get in touch, you can email me at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you. And don’t forget to subscribe to my mailing list so you can grab yourself a copy of my FREE COOKBOOK!

If you’d like to continue browsing, just click on this link to all my recipes.

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Yummly
  • Twitter
  • Whatsapp

Filed Under: All Recipes, Cakes, Cookies and Desserts

About VJ

In my previous life, I was an IT Consultant. Now that I've swapped an office for a kitchen I have a lot more time to spend on things that interest me such as trying out new recipes. Most of my cooking is based around quick and easy meals, and you'll probably find a little South African influence creeping in due to the many years I spent there.

Previous Post: « Sheet pan pork chops with broccoli and a honey garlic glaze
Next Post: Turkey and ham lasagne bake »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Estelle McKenna

    26 February 2023 at 7:07 pm

    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

    Reply
    • VJ

      28 February 2023 at 6:53 am

      5 stars
      Hi Estelle – perhaps you’d like to try this milk tart recipe.

      Reply
  2. ashok

    2 August 2021 at 5:08 am

    5 stars
    Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.

    Reply
    • VJ

      2 August 2021 at 12:00 pm

      Great, thanks for letting me know 🙂

      Reply
  3. Magda

    4 January 2021 at 9:25 pm

    Thanks for recipe! Always loved the Pineapple “Yskastert”, but tomorrow will be the first time I will make it myself. Regards.

    Reply
    • VJ

      5 January 2021 at 8:18 am

      I hope it turns out well for you Magda. Thanks for the comment 🙂 x

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to the Foodle Club

Hi, I'm VJ. Welcome to my little kitchen. Step inside and browse my collection of recipes collected over the years. More →

Lets Connect

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter


See my Privacy Policy and Disclaimer

By subscribing you consent to receiving the Foodle Club newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Most popular recipes

Sliced silverside on a plate with carrots and potatoes.

Slow-cooker beef silverside

A slice of pineapple coconut cake.

Easy pineapple coconut cake with crushed pineapple

A homemade fishcake cut in half to show the inside.

Easy homemade fish cakes with a crispy coating

A scone covered in strawberry jam in front of a pile of scones.

Quick and easy homemade scones – only 4 ingredients

A wire basket of crispy fries.

Crispy French fries – with a spicy coating

A bowl of white rice with a pair of chopsticks.

How to cook rice in the Microwave

Footer


See my Privacy Policy and Disclaimer

By subscribing you consent to receiving the Foodle Club newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time but the books will still be yours to keep.

In my previous life, I was an IT Consultant. Now that I've swapped an office for a kitchen I have a lot more time to spend on things that interest me such as trying out new recipes. Most of my cooking is based around quick and easy meals, and you'll probably find a little South African influence creeping in due to the many years I spent there.

Copyright © 2023 Foodleclub.com