Coconut Milk Panna Cotta - A healthy spin on a classic Italian dessert that’s dairy-free, refined sugar-free and gluten-free. Accompanied by your choosing of honey citrus compote, strawberry sauce and dark chocolate sauce!

When I was in Italy, panna cotta was one of my favorite desserts! And fortunately enough, my body was able to tolerate the luxurious mixture of whole milk and heavy cream. But when ordering panna cotta from an Italian restaurant in the states, it definitely hits me (and my gut!) differently. Lol

So that is why I have created a healthy spin on the traditional panna cotta, using full fat canned coconut milk. Not only is this dessert dairy free, but it’s also free of refined sugar using pure maple syrup as the sweetener.

Travel nostalgia birthed this recipe but also the idea of using bovine gelatin. Recently, I have switched over to using Perfect Supplements as my main supplement source - taking desiccated liver capsules as my “multi-vitamin” and switching over to their hydrolyzed collagen powder. And now, I have been wanting to experiment using their bovine gelatin.

To give you the lowdown on this form of gelatin:

Made with 100% beef gelatin (collagen protein)
Sourced exclusively from brazilian pasture raised (grass fed) cows
The only gelatin to receive perfectly pure certification
And is great for recipes that call for gelatin or a gelling or thickening agent. (i.e. soups, fruit gelatin, gummy treats, custards, marshmallows and more!)

If you want to try it for yourself, here is CANDACE10 for 10% off your first order!

Now, back to Panna Cotta!

A couple tips when making this dish:

Make sure to not boil the coconut milk or the gelatin will lose its setting power
The consistency of panna cotta should have a soft jiggly texture.
Panna cotta can be made ahead of time (up to 2 days) and stored in the fridge.
You can easily double the recipe when making for a crowd or dinner party!
Instead of vanilla extract, you could use ½ vanilla bean.

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Coconut Milk Panna Cotta - A healthy spin on a classic Italian dessert that’s dairy-free, refined sugar-free and gluten-free. Accompanied by your choosing of honey citrus compote, strawberry sauce and dark chocolate sauce!

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4 servings | Cook time 10 min | Prep Time 20 min

Ingredients

1 can full fat unsweetened coconut milk
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
1 scoop or ¼ oz gelatin
1 tsp vanilla extract

Strawberry sauce

2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, hulled and sliced
3 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp organic sugar or pure maple syrup
Juice of half lemon

Honey citrus compote

1-3 citrus fruits (grapefruit, orange, blood orange)
Honey
Bee pollen
Fresh mint leaves

Directions

Grease 4 small dishes (ie ramekins, bowls, pudding dishes) to pour the panna cotta into.
In a small saucepan, whisk together half of the coconut milk and gelatin until combined. Set aside for about 5-10 min at room temperature to let the gelatin bloom.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and add vanilla. Whisk thoroughly until gelatin dissolves. Continue to heat until steam rises (but do not bring to a boil). Turn off the heat.
Remove from heat and whisk in maple syrup and remaining coconut milk. Pour the mixture equally into each dish, let sit at room temperature before placing them in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
While the panna cotta is setting, prepare sauce mixture or citrus salad, or both!
1. For the strawberry sauce: add sliced strawberries, lemon juice, honey and water to a medium pot. Cook for 7-12 minutes and remove from heat. Blend using an immersion blender, food processor or blender. Strain the sauce into a sieve (to remove strawberry seeds) and transfer sauce to a bowl or jar until ready to use.
2. For the citrus salad: slice the citrus fruits, and remove any pith. Cut in smaller pieces if desired. Add a drizzle of honey, bee pollen and mint!
To serve, you can either serve them directly in the dish or unmold them onto a plate. Top with strawberry sauce, citrus salad, or chocolate sauce and enjoy!