Hawaiian icy

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Wait: 2 hours
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
1 ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, chopped
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups mango nectar, see note
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 cups ice cubes
Sweetened flaked coconut, optional
Gummy worms, optional

Note: For mango nectar, try the juice aisle or the Mexican foods section.

Roast:
Set pineapple chunks on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Slide into a 350-degree oven and roast golden, turning once, 40 minutes. Cool. Freeze firm, 2 hours. (Slide into a zip-top bag, if working ahead.)

Reduce:
Stir together mango nectar and granulated sugar in a large saucepan. Heat to a boil; lower ever so slightly and bubble syrupy, 5 minutes. Cool. Transfer to a squeeze bottle. Chill.

Flake:
Measure 2 cups ice cubes and 1 cup pineapple chunks into the blender. Using the "snow" function, flake to bits. (Or use the "crush" function for a chunkier approach.) Scoop into two small cups. Add a squeeze of mango syrup. Dust with coconut, if you like. Add gummy worms, if you must. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Enjoy with sunshine.

Leah Eskin is a Tribune special contributor. Contact her at leahreskin@aol.com