Silky smooth, dairy-free Coconut Panna Cotta.  A light, Asian-style dessert that’s simple to prepare and incredibly delicious and refreshing!

this recipe

Coconut Panna Cotta

Panna Cotta is an Italian dessert that translates to “cooked cream.” Simple and elegant, it’s well known for its rich, luscious flavor and smooth, silky texture.

Coconut Panna Cotta is a lighter, dairy-free version. All the smooth jiggle and luscious texture of panna cotta — but made with dairy-free coconut milk. A drizzle of ginger syrup finishes this Asian-inspired dessert and adds a spicy-sweet, refreshing, and palate-cleansing bite!

Simple to prepare and easy on the digestive system, Coconut Panna Cotta is also incredibly delicious and light. A delightful, not overly rich and heavy dessert to end a meal.

To make it even easier, I recommend serving in glass cups with ginger syrup on top. Or, if you prefer, unmold onto a platter. A prettier, more traditional option but requires a little bit more work.

The Ginger Syrup is entirely optional.  But it’s full of anti-inflammatory properties and tastes so good! The sweet ginger syrup cuts through the richness and adds a little kick.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Coconut Milk. Canned, full-fat coconut milk is the best option for this simple dessert.
• Gelatine. For some reason, gelatine comes in two sizes:  tiny or ginormous.  You can buy gelatine in little packets that hold about 2 1/4 tsp.  Or you can buy a box that holds 500 ml or 2 cups.  That’s a lot of gelatine, especially when most recipes call for amounts in teaspoons but for the price, it’s the best value.
• Sugar. For sweetness. If you prefer, sub with maple syrup. However, the final color won’t be as white.
• Ginger Syrup. A simple syrup that’s infused with the health benefits of ginger, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties I recommend organic ginger for best flavor and bite. Any leftover ginger syrup can be added to lemon and hot water for a gentle, ginger-infused lemon tea.

Instructions

1. Make the Ginger Syrup. In a small saucepan, add water, sugar, and ginger slices. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer until dark and syrupy. The flavor should be sweet and full of gingery bite.
2. Bloom the gelatine. To properly set, gelatine needs time to bloom.  Sprinkle the gelatine over cold water.  Rest undistrubed for 5 minutes.  The blooming time allows the gelatine granules to swell.
3. Heat coconut milk. Whisk coconut milk and sugar together until until sugar is completely dissolved and the coconut milk is steaming. Off the heat, add the bloomed gelatine and whisk again.
4. Pour into cups. Divide coconut milk into individual glasses. Transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 4-6 hours or preferably overnight.
5. Serve. To serve, pour 1-2 spoonfuls of the ginger syrup into the glass cups of Coconut Panna Cotta. Serve with additional ginger syrup at the table.

PRO Tips:

• Prep in advance. An easy, make-ahead dessert, all the components of Coconut Panna Cotta with Ginger Syrup can be made 1-2 days before. Drizzle with Ginger syrup right before serving.
• Multiply for larger parties. I’ve made this recipe especially easy to make for a crowd.  Simply double, triple, or quadruple the amount.  Pour and chill into a large, communal bowl. Or chill in disposal clear cups for individual-sized servings.

Variations:

• Add fresh fruit or fruit coulis. Passion fruit, mango, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, or kiwi all make nice additions. The acidity cuts through the richness of the full-fat coconut milk.
• Unmold onto a plate. Instead of serving in glasses, unmold the panna cotta onto a plate. The same panna cotta but a slightly different look. Be sure to brush individual ramekins with oil before chilling. If the panna cotta doesn’t release, dip the container in hot water for 1-2 minutes to loosen.

More easy dessert inspiration:

• Coffee Jello
• Mango Coconut Sago
• Coconut Matcha Pudding
• Cinnamon Instant Pot Creme Brulee
• Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse with Cashew Cream