Daring Bakers: Coconut Cream Panna Cotta

Daring Bakers: Coconut Cream Panna Cotta


  

The February 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mallory from A Sofa in the Kitchen. She chose to challenge everyone to make Panna Cotta from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe and Nestle Florentine Cookies. This post focuses on the panna cotta. My other post focuses on the florentines.

I had already made my first panna cotta last year (see here) and so that part of this month's challenge was not new for me. But because I have to host a Mai Pham, Vietnamese style dinner next month, I chose to make a coconut cream panna cotta to see if it would work. It turned out fabulous, much better than I expected.  What took it over the top was because I used a blackberry honey that I bought last summer at the farmers market. Giada's recipe uses mostly honey to sweeten the panna cotta, versus the recipe I used last year that used only sugar. Both recipes are good in their own rights. 

One of my criteria for a good panna cotta is that it has a beautiful jiggle to it. This recipe did. For an example, see the video at the bottom of my Grange review here. 

This recipe is the Giada one adapted to use coconut cream. You will find coconut cream in Asian markets. It is much thicker than coconut milk, having the high fat content that you want for panna cotta.

Coconut Cream Panna Cotta 

1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon (one packet) unflavored powdered gelatin

1 cup  whipping cream

2 cups coconut cream
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
pinch of salt

1. Pour the milk into a bowl or pot and sprinkle gelatin evenly and thinly over the milk (make sure the bowl/pot is cold by placing the bowl/pot in the refrigerator for a few minutes before you start making the Panna Cotta). Let stand for 5 minutes to soften the gelatin.
2. Pour the milk into the saucepan/pot and place over medium heat on the stove. Heat this mixture until it is hot, but not boiling, about five minutes. (I whisk it a few times at this stage).
3. Next, add the cream, honey, sugar, and pinch of salt. Making sure the mixture doesn't boil, continue to heat and stir occasionally until the sugar and honey have dissolved 5-7 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, allow it to sit for a few minutes to cool slightly. Then pour into the glass or ramekin.
5. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Serve from ramekins or turn out on plates, To turn out, run a knife around the edge of the panna cotta. Place a hot rag around the ramekin for a few seconds and then flip the ramekin onto a plate to release the panna cotta. Add garnishes and serve.