Vegan Coconut Panna Cotta with Agar-Agar
A panna cotta without dairy or animal gelatin: coconut milk and plant milk set with agar-agar, topped with a red berry coulis. The coconut fat gives the creaminess that heavy cream brings to the classic.
Agar doesn't behave like gelatin, and the recipe has two rules that follow from that. First, it has to boil: if it only dissolves, it won't set. Second, it sets at around 40 °C, so at room temperature it starts to firm up within minutes. Have the molds ready before you turn off the heat. The result is a little firmer than gelatin panna cotta and holds its shape out of the fridge.
🔎 What is agar-agar? — where it comes from, what goes in it and how it differs.
Ingredients
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk (1 can)
- 200 ml almond or oat milk
- 60 g sugar
- 2 g agar-agar powder (1 level teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 200 g red berries (for the coulis)
- 2 tablespoons sugar (for the coulis)
- Juice of ½ lemon (for the coulis)
Method
- 1
Get 6 molds or small glasses ready. If you plan to unmold, wipe them with a little neutral oil on a paper towel.
- 2
In a saucepan, combine the coconut milk, plant milk and sugar while cold. Sprinkle the agar-agar over the top and whisk until there are no lumps. It needs to be well dispersed before heating.
- 3
Bring to a boil, stirring, and let it simmer gently for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. This boil is what activates the agar: skip it and the panna cotta won't set.
- 4
Turn off the heat, stir in the vanilla and pour into the molds right away. Don't wait for it to cool in the pan: at around 40 °C it starts to set.
- 5
Leave at room temperature for 20 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
- 6
For the coulis, cook the berries with the sugar over medium heat for 5 minutes, until they release their juice. Add the lemon juice, mash lightly and let cool.
- 7
To unmold, run a thin knife around the edge and invert onto a plate. Serve with the cold coulis on top.