Many southerners remember that big bowl of fruit on holiday tables—often canned, frosty with coconut, studded with mini-marshmallows, and laden with candy-sweet red maraschino cherries. But ambrosia has an honorable history, with recipes going back to the late 1800s. I came up with a less sweet version that can be a side dish or a light dessert.
4 cups fresh orange sections, white pith removed
1 1/2 cups grated coconut (fresh or frozen and thawed)
2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
4 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar, or to taste (see Note)
1/3 cup coconut water (see Note)
6 red maraschino cherries
Layer this salad in a tall glass bowl or trifle bowl as follows: 2 cups of the orange sections, 1/2 cup of the coconut, all the pineapple chunks, 2 teaspoons of the confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup of the coconut, the remaining 2 cups orange sections, the remaining 1/2 cup coconut, and the remaining 2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar.
Gently pour the coconut water over the top, letting it moisten all the layers of fruit. Garnish with the maraschino cherries. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
NOTE * A small amount of sugar helps release the juices in the fruit. The amount you use depends on how sweet your fruit is and your personal preference. Taste some of the fruit you’re using and decide if you want more sugar, but this should not be an extremely sweet dish. Coconut water is a new product found in supermarket juice aisles. If you can’t find coconut water, you can substitute orange juice, but do not use coconut milk.