1 small pineapple, peeled, thinly sliced into rounds, cored
1 cup canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon dark rum
1 cup powdered sugar
2/3 cup ground almonds (about 3 ounces)
1/3 cup all purpose flour
4 large egg whites
2 drops almond extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
Combine water and sugar in heavy large skillet. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Add pineapple and cook until very tender and almost translucent and syrup is amber colored, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Keep warm. (syrup will be thick).
Boil coconut milk in another heavy large skillet until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Whisk in 3 tablespoons pineapple cooking syrup and 1 tablespoon rum. Set sauce aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously butter four inch diameter 1-cup custard cups or ramekins. Place 1 pineapple slice in center of each custard cup. Cut remaining rounds in half. Arrange 3 half slices, rounded side up, around sides of each cup. (Reserve any remaining pineapple slices for another use.)
Combine powdered sugar, almonds and flour in medium bowl. Add egg whites and almond extract; whisk until smooth. Melt butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking butter until brown, stirring constantly, about three minutes. Whisk into almond batter. Divide batter evenly among custard cups, covering pineapple completely. Bake until cakes are golden and toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Run small sharp knife around sides of cups to loosen cokes. Turn out onto plates. Serve cakes warm or at room temperature, passing sauce separately.
