Pandan Coconut Panna Cotta
This soft, silky coconut dessert is delicately scented with pandan and sweetened with caramel-like palm sugar. Chilled until just set, it is light, fragrant, and elegant, with a clean finish and a gentle tropical richness.
Nutrition · per serving
Ingredients
7 itemsPandan infusion
Setting mixture
For serving
Tips
- •Agar-agar is used instead of gelatin to keep the dessert vegan; it sets more firmly than gelatin, so keep the quantity precise for a tender texture.
- •If you want a greener colour, blend the pandan leaves with the water, strain well, and use that pandan water in the infusion.
- •Palm sugar varies in sweetness; taste the warm mixture before pouring and adjust with a little extra if needed.
- •For the smoothest texture, strain the cooked mixture through a fine sieve before pouring into moulds.
Steps
- 1
Prepare 2 small moulds, ramekins, or glasses and clear a flat space in the refrigerator. Tie the pandan leaves into knots or bruise them lightly so they release more aroma.
3 leaves (about 15 g) pandan leaves, tied into knots - 2
In a small saucepan, combine the coconut milk, water, pandan leaves, palm sugar, and salt. Heat over medium-low until steaming and the sugar dissolves, about 4 to 5 minutes. Do not let it boil hard; a gentle heat keeps the coconut smooth and lets the pandan perfume the liquid.
300 ml full-fat coconut milk80 ml water3 leaves (about 15 g) pandan leaves, tied into knots45 g palm sugar, finely chopped1 pinch fine salt - 3
Sprinkle in the agar-agar powder while whisking continuously. Bring the mixture to a full boil, then cook for 1 full minute, whisking, so the agar activates properly. This step is essential; undercooked agar will not set well.
4 g agar-agar powder - 4
Remove from the heat and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes to deepen the pandan flavour. Fish out the pandan leaves, squeezing them lightly against the side of the pan with a spoon to extract the last aroma, then discard.
3 leaves (about 15 g) pandan leaves, tied into knots - 5
Pour the mixture evenly into the 2 prepared moulds. Let them cool at room temperature for about 10 minutes, then refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. The panna cotta should feel gently firm and wobble slightly when nudged.
- 6
To serve, enjoy in the glasses or briefly dip the moulds in warm water and unmould onto plates. Finish with toasted coconut flakes on top.
10 g toasted coconut flakes
Origin & History
Panna cotta is originally an Italian cream dessert, but this version reflects Thai dessert flavours by pairing rich coconut milk with fragrant pandan and palm sugar. Pandan is widely used across Thailand in sweets and drinks, where its vanilla-like, grassy aroma is especially prized.
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