Coconut Panna Cotta with Strawberry Coulis
The direct translation of “panna cotta” from Italian to English is cooked cream. This recipe, however, my dear friends is vegan, made with coconut milk. I love using coconut milk to give dishes that creamy and fatty mouth feel, it is a staple in my kitchen for soups, sauces, curries, ice cream and in Matcha Tapioca Pudding, you can find HERE. I keep extra cans on hand in my larder, I turn to it that much. It adds the perfect amount of plant-based creaminess to just about any dish normally reserved for dairy cream. Coconut milk is not the liquid inside of a coconut. It is actually the grated white flesh of mature brown coconuts,( the ones impossible to crack open), blended with water. It is commonly used in Indian, Southwest Asian, South American, Caribbean, and Hawaiian dishes. Traditional panna cotta uses gelatin to set it, but I use Agar flakes, a sea vegetable gelling agent, high in fiber and iron in this recipe. It does the job of setting the pudding beautifully. I also decided not to blend the strawberries to make a classic pureed coulis and instead, kept the topping more rustic to give it texture. This panna cotta is simple to make, the perfect summer dessert, it is light, creamy, cool and just the perfect amount of sweet.
Makes 6-7 savings depending on the size of ramekin/Cook time 15 minutes/ Fridge time 1-2 hours/ Total preparation time 2 hours 15 minutes
Gather
For the panna cotta
2 cans unsweetened coconut milk (13.5 ounces each)
1/4 cup/ 55 grams monk fruit
2 teaspoons / 50 grams coconut sugar
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon/4 grams plus 1 teaspoon /1.33 grams agar flakes (I used Clearspring) or 1/3 teaspoon/ .67 grams agar powder
1 vanilla bean
For the strawberry coulis
1 generous cup hulled and cut strawberries (1/4” cubes)
1 tablespoon/12 grams monk fruit sweetener
1 teaspoon/4.93 ml lemon juice
Zest of 1/4 lemon
Make the panna cotta
In a medium saucepan, combine the coconut milk, monk fruit sweetener, coconut sugar, pinch salt and Agar flakes over medium heat. Whisk well to break up any chunks in the coconut milk. Bring to a boil, lower heat. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a paring knife and scrape out the tiny seeds. Add the seeds to the saucepan and whisk in well till incorporated. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Let sit 5 minutes. Stir again and then transfer the coconut liquid to individual ramekins, jars or custard cups. Allow to cool on the counter 15 minutes. Transfer to the fridge and set for 1-2 hours.
Make the strawberry coulis
Place the strawberries, monk fruit sweetener, water, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Cook over a medium-low for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Once the panna cottas have set, remove them from the fridge and spoon a generous portion of the strawberries over each serving. Garnish with flowers and enjoy.
