Coffee Panna cotta with toasted coconut topping (With Agar-agar)

Coffee Panna cotta with toasted coconut topping is a creamy and heart-warming dessert. A decadent dessert that combines the fruity fragrance of coffee, the richness of cream, and the crunchiness of toasted coconut that complements any main course.

Panna cotta is an Italian dessert that has gained popularity all over the world. Panna cotta is a classic dessert that is highly versatile in composition and very easy to prepare. “Pàn·na” means cream and “Cotta” means cooked in Italian. As the name indicates, Panna cotta is primarily made by cooking cream with sugar and gelatin.

We can create different flavors of this primary version of panna cotta by adding vanilla, matcha green tea, coffee, caramel, fruits, liqueurs, food essences, and colors. We can go a little more elaborate by accompanying the classic panna cotta with dessert sauces and toppings.

I have substituted gelatin with “Agar-agar” in my recipe as I wanted this to be vegetarian-friendly. Gelatin is derived from animal collagen whereas agar-agar is obtained from edible seaweed.  My recipe uses the following ingredients:

• Cream
• Whole milk
• Agar-agar
• Dark brown sugar
• Instant coffee
• Toasted coconut gratings
• Chocolate syrup
• Cocoa powder

I have explained the process below in the recipe card. The cooking takes about 30-45 minutes and the dessert needs to be refrigerated for at least 8-12 hours. We need ramekins or molds to shape the panna cotta. The process involves boiling the main ingredients and transferring the contents into molds before refrigerating. We can prepare panna cotta in advance and store it for a few days in the refrigerator. Panna cotta is best served chilled.

How to use Agar-agar :  The ratio of agar-agar to the other liquids is very important to get the right consistency and texture of panna cotta. Use 2 TSP of agar flakes or powder to every cup of liquid in a recipe. Agar-agar needs to be dissolved in liquid by bringing it to a boil over medium heat and then simmering until thickened, approximately five minutes.

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Coffee Panna cotta with toasted coconut topping (With Agar-agar)

Cooking Method: Boiling, Chilling Cuisine: Italian Courses: Desserts Recipe Keys: Egg Free

Difficulty: Intermediate Cook Time 30 mins

Servings: 6

Description

Coffee Panna cotta with toasted coconut topping is a creamy and heart-warming dessert. A decadent dessert that combines the fruity fragrance of coffee, richness of cream, and the crunchiness of toasted coconut. A perfect and delicate ending to any type of main course that is sure to appeal any palate.

Ingredients

Servings

• 1 cup Heavy cream
• 1 cup Whole milk
• 4 tsp Agar-agar (powder or flakes)
• 6 tsp Dark brown sugar (Adjust to taste)
• 1.5 tsp Instant coffee (I used Bru (https://www.amazon.com/Bru-Instant-Coffee-Roasted-Chicory/dp/B000JSQKA2))
• 1 tbsp Chocolate syrup (I used Hershey chocolate syrup)
• 1 tsp Cocoa powder (I used hershey cocoa powder)
• ¹⁄₄ cup Toasted coconut gratings

Instructions

1. Equipment needed:

   1. Ramekins or silicone molds
   2. Fine-mesh strainer
   3. Thick bottom saucepan

2. Preparation steps :

   1. Bring the whole milk to boil in a thick-bottomed saucepan with flame on medium heat.
   2. Once the milk starts to boil, add agar-agar powder and keep stirring for a couple of minutes
   3. Once the agar-agar powder is mixed thoroughly and there are no lumps visible, add the instant coffee powder and dark brown sugar.
   4. Continue to stir until the coffee and sugar have mixed well.
   5. Now add the cream. Continue to stir until the liquid comes to a boil.
   6. Remove from heat.
   7. Filter the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any remaining lumps of agar-agar. This step will ensure that the panna cotta will have an even and smooth texture.
   8. Divide the cream mixture into 8-10 molds or ramekins (numbers may vary depending on the mold size)
   9. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 8-12 hours to ensure that the mixture has set well.
   10. To remove the panna cotta from the molds, dip them into hot water for a few seconds, one at a time.
   11. Run a thin knife along the edge of the ramekins and slowly invert them on a plate.

3. Serving :

   To serve the Coffee panna cotta, you can dust the serving plate with a thin layer of cocoa powder, add a spoonful of chocolate syrup and then slowly keep the panna cotta. Top the panna cotta with a few toasted coconut gratings

Notes

1. You can store panna cotta in a refrigerator for about a week (maybe longer but I have not tried)
2. The ratio of agar-agar to the other liquids is very important to get the right consistency and texture of panna cotta
3. Use 2 tsp of agar flakes or powder to every cup of liquid in a recipe. Like gelatin, it needs to be dissolved in a liquid by bringing it to a boil over medium heat and then simmering until thickened, approximately five minutes. Set and chill in the refrigerator before use.

Keywords: Italian, Coffee, agar-agar, Panna cotta, Chocolate, Toasted coconut, Vegetarian