Pineapple Puff

A no-cook icebox dessert that depends entirely on how thoroughly the pineapple is drained. Everything else is assembly.

• Drain hardCanned pineapple carries a great deal of syrup, and any that survives into the bowl will thin the cheese and weep in the glass. Press the fruit in a sieve until liquid stops running, then let it sit a few minutes and press again.
• Cream measured before whippingThe parenthesis matters: 1/2 cup means liquid cream, which yields roughly a cup whipped. Use heavy cream (36 percent fat or more); light cream and half-and-half will not hold.
• Shredded pineappleOne of the canned cuts called for in recipes of the period, finer than chunks and coarser than pulp. Canned crushed pineapple is the nearest substitute; fresh pineapple pulsed briefly in a processor works if you drain it just as aggressively.
• Cream cheeseSix ounces of full-fat block cream cheese, brought to room temperature before mashing. Whipped or tub-style cream cheese is aerated and softer, so it will not set the same way.
• Mash, then foldBeat the cheese smooth on its own first. Adding whipped cream to cold, lumpy cheese means beating out the air to get rid of the lumps, and the puff collapses.
• ChillingThe original gives no time. Two hours covered in the refrigerator firms it enough to hold a spoon shape; overnight is fine, though it may release a little liquid that should be stirred back in.
• SweeteningWell-drained canned pineapple is already sweet, so taste before adding anything. If it needs help, sifted confectioners' sugar dissolves without grittiness where granulated will not.
• Tart shellsIf you use pastry shells rather than glasses, fill them within an hour of serving. The filling is wet enough to soften a baked crust quickly.