Birthdays are momentous and sacred occasions for our family. Parties or get-togethers are mandatory to throw during one’s special day even if they do not explicitly express their desire to have one. But as we are all imprisoned at home this year, I had to celebrate my 16th with my friends on Zoom. My mom insisted on sending each of them a full meal and a little memorabilia of my choosing. So at six in the evening last June 29, they got a call informing them that a food package was waiting outside their doorstep for everyone to enjoy over a call. Inside were a bento box, juice, a ring and a dessert.
I had an entire list of potential sweets to make, but after careful consideration, taking into account the day’s temperature, delivery and everyone’s allergies, I was left with Matcha Coconut Panna Cotta. I was greatly relieved when all my friends complimented it, and some may have even been converted to matcha lovers after tasting their first spoonful. But I cannot blame them, for its robust earthiness and pleasant bitterness impeccably complement the sweet freshness of the coconut layer underneath. I paired it with my homemade caramel syrup to bring the dessert a subtle smokey undertone and richness.
Other than the Panna cotta’s flavor profile, its luscious texture is equally remarkable. Every bite is extremely silky and creamy. Even if we were all stuffed, like BDO, we all found ways to savor the entire serving. It provided a lovely ending to our dinner before we began playing games and choking on our peals of laughter.
Recipe
Yields 10-12 servings
~ Ingredients ~
Coconut Panna Cotta
1 cup or 250 mL all-purpose cream
1 cup or 250 mL coconut milk
10 grams unflavored gelatin
⅔ cup or 130 grams sugar
Matcha Panna Cotta
1 cup or 250 mL all-purpose cream
1 cup or 250 mL fresh milk
10 grams unflavored gelatin
⅔ cup or 130 grams sugar
1 tablespoon matcha powder
~Procedure ~
Place 2-4 tablespoons of coconut milk in a bowl and add the gelatin into this. Stir it a little and let it sit.
In a medium pot on low heat, mix together all-purpose cream, the rest of the coconut milk and sugar. Keep stirring the mixture until the sugar has fully melted. This took me around 5 minutes.
Add the coconut milk and gelatin mixture into the pot and constantly stir it until the gelatin has dissolved.
Transfer the liquid into a measuring cup with a spout and pour the mixture until it fills up half of your chosen container.
Keep this refrigerated for at least 3 hours or until it has fully set.
After a few hours, prepare the matcha panna cotta by repeating the steps above and substituting the coconut milk with fresh milk. You can add the matcha powder along with the sugar.
Once done, transfer the liquid into a measuring cup with a spout and let it cool down until it has reached room temperature. This is an important step to make sure that the bottom layer will not melt when the matcha layer is poured over it.
Fill the rest of your chosen container with the matcha panna cotta and chill for another couple of hours.
Serve with caramel syrup and enjoy!
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