Tired of the same ol’ holiday flavors? End the year on a tropical island far far away from nutmeg, cinnamon, and peppermint. Layers of creamy coconut Panna Cotta and magenta Prickly Pear jelly make a wonderfully creamy, bright, and lightly sweetened dessert. This recipe takes a bit of time in order to set all the festive layers of prickly pear and coconut, but it’s worth it (just like a long plane ride to the islands).
T <3
~*~ HOLIDAY COCONUT PUDDING & PRICKLY PEAR JELLY ~*~
SERVES: 6 ⎪ DIFFICULTY: INTERMEDIATE | FUNK: MODERATE
Mise En Place
For Prickly Pear Jelly:
1 envelope gelatin powder
1 1/2 cups prickly pear purée (about 4 prickly pears)
1-2 tablespoons sugar
fresh lemon or lime juice, to taste
For Coconut Pudding:
1 envelope gelatin powder
2 (13.5oz) cans coconut mik, shaken
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or coconut rum
a pinch of salt
For Garnish:
whipped cream
shredded coconut
lime zest
Playlist — Cake
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1. BLOOM THE GELATIN
In a small bowl, whisk together the dry granulated gelatin and 1/2 cup of the coconut milk until smooth. Set aside for 5-10 minutes until thickened.
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2. MAKE THE PUDDING
Pour coconut milk and sugar into a pot. Bring to medium heat and stir occasionally until steam starts to rise from the milk. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract, salt, and bloomed gelatin. Whisk until gelatin is fully dissolved. Set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally until room temperature.
*TIP*: To check that the sugar and gelatin is completely dissolved, dip a spoon in the milk and check the back for any grains.
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3. MAKE THE JELLY
In a measuring cup, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup of cold water and stir, set aside for a minute or two until thickened. Stir in 1/4 cup hot, not boiling water, until gelatin is dissolved, then add the prickly pear puree, sugar, and lime juice. Taste and adjust flavors.
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4. MAKE THE LAYERS
Place glasses on a plate or baking sheet. First, use a spoon to pour in a couple teaspoons of coconut panna cotta into each glass. Place in the fridge, and set for about 20-30 minutes. Next, spoon in some prickly pear jelly into each glass. Place back into the fridge for another 20 minutes. Repeat until you fill the glasses with each layer. For the last layer, let set for at least 2-3 hours, ideally overnight.
*TIP*: Use a damp paper towel to wipe any drippings around the glass.
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5. SERVE
Top each glass with whipped cream, toasted shredded coconut, and lime zest
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~*~ EASIER VARIATION ~*~
In Step 4, pour the coconut panna cotta mixture in each glass until almost full. Place in the fridge and let set overnight. Pour a thin layer of Prickly Pear jelly on top and chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours or until serving.
~*~ VEGAN VARIATION ~*~
Replace gelatin with agar agar powder.
How would you use Prickly Pear? Let me know what you’ve cooked and leave a comment below.