Do you love island life? Is the Caribbean your idea of the perfect vacation? Do you dream of spending every evening watching the sunset on your lanai? If you answered yes to any of these, today’s Coconut Panna Cotta with Chocolate Rum Sauce is the dessert for you!
Panna cotta literally means cooked cream in Italian and it is pure heaven to me. This version is made with coconut cream, coconut milk and heavy cream. So creamy and smooth, it really complements the chocolate-rum sauce. With the sprig of mint perfuming the air as you take each bite, you will swear you can hear the waves breaking on the sand of the turquoise ocean in the distance!
If you’ve never worked with gelatin, it is another one of those ingredients that creates magic in the kitchen. You pour a silky powder into a bowl, add a little water, and in about 10 minutes you have a semi-solid disk. When you add this to hot liquids, it dissolves and then firms up when it is chilled. It is what makes Jell-O turn from a liquid into the jiggly fun that kids love.
My glass containers hold about 3/4 cup, so I used six of them and still had enough of the panna cotta mixture to fill four more small ramekins. The inverted ramekin turned out a beautiful soft dessert. It probably could have used a couple more hours in the refrigerator, but The Artist was hungry, LOL.
Panna cotta inverted onto a plate from a ramekin
Even though it looks like a heavy dessert, it is actually quite light and perfect on hot summer nights. I really appreciate that it can be made ahead so I don’t have to worry about dessert while putting together the rest of dinner. And if I am hosting a party, it’s even better.
Make the panna cotta and the chocolate sauce a day or two in advance. Store the sauce separately and when you are ready to serve, reheat the sauce just enough so it pours easily, and put the two together either on plates (if you invert the ramekins) or in glasses. They are both beautiful and delicious.
This cream has a fairly delicate coconut flavor. If you want it more potent, you can add about 1/4 tsp of coconut extract. Depending on who you are making this for, if they have a really big sweet tooth, you may want to add a little more powdered sugar. Taste the cream before chilling and whisk in the extract and/or sugar if needed.
We both loved this Coconut Panna Cotta with Chocolate Rum Sauce and hope you do too.
Happy Chocolate Monday!!
Did you enjoy this recipe? Let me know in the comments, I love hearing from you!
Key Ingredients for Coconut Panna Cotta with Chocolate-Rum Sauce:
- Panna Cotta: Gelatin, coconut cream, coconut milk, heavy cream
- Confectioners’ sugar, fresh mint sprigs
- Chocolate-Rum Sauce: semisweet chocolate chips, white rum, coconut milk
PRO Tip:
This recipe calls for coconut milk which can be found at most grocery stores these days and coconut cream which is trickier to find. I have found it most easily at liquor stores because it is used in cocktails. If you can’t find it locally, bevmo.com carries it – search for “coconut” and it will pop up. Coconut cream is sweetened and not the same as coconut milk. In both cases, be sure to shake the can very well before opening and if the contents are not fully incorporated, pour into a bowl and whisk until smooth before continuing with the recipe.
PRO Tip:
My favorite flavorings to use come from LorAnn Oils. They are highly concentrated so you only need a few drops to flavor an entire batch of candy or cake batter. I buy dropper tops that screw onto the bottles so I can control the amount of oils I add. LorAnn sells both the oils and the dropper tops. Just be sure the tops match the size of the bottles you are buying.
How to make Coconut Panna Cotta with Chocolate-Rum Sauce:
- Panna Cotta: Dissolve the gelatin in cool water and once solid, break into smaller pieces; heat the coconut cream and milk to just under a simmer, stir in the gelatin pieces and stir until fully dissolved
- Pour the coconut cream mixture through a wire sieve into a bowl and chill in a larger bowl of ice water, stirring occasionally; in another bowl stir together the heavy cream with the sugar, whisking until dissolved and smooth
- Pour the sweetened cream into the cooled coconut cream mixture and whisk until fully blended, taste and add more sugar if desired; ladle into the ramekins or glass containers and set on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or shelf liner material and cover each with plastic wrap, chill in the refrigerator at least 4 hours
- Chocolate-Rum Sauce: Melt the chocolate with the rum and coconut milk, stirring regularly until smooth and creamy; taste and add a little confectioners’ sugar if needed, set aside to cool (can be made up to a week ahead, rewarm before serving)
- To Serve: Run a sharp knife around the inside edge of the ramekins and invert each one on a dessert plate or serve them upright in the ramekins; pour some of the sauce around the edges of each panna cotta or over the top if you are serving them upright
PRO Tip:
Did you know that ice water is actually colder than ice? When you are cooling your panna cotta mixture, use a water bath to speed up the process before transferring it to the refrigerator to fully chill.
PRO Tip:
Another ingredient you may not have heard of is unflavored gelatin. The most common brand is Knox and it comes in a small, slender box. You’ll find it near the Jell-O products, probably in or near the baking aisle. Be sure it is unflavored!
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
- Large bowl and medium bowl
- Ramekins or glass serving dishes
- Nonstick saucepan
- Nonstick whisk
- Fine wire mesh sieve
- Ladle
- Baking sheet
- Silpat or shelf liner
Gluten-Free Tips:
This recipe is gluten-free as long as you use GF chocolate chips and white rum. The major gluten-free organizations state that distilled alcohols are gluten free. But for some very sensitive people dark liquors may cause issues. Some distillers may add caramel coloring or flavorings which sometimes contains gluten. If you are making this dessert for a very reactive person, especially if they have Celiac, you can use potato vodka plus a little brown sugar in place of the rum.
Coconut Panna Cotta with Chocolate-Rum Sauce (Gluten-Free)
This panna cotta is made with coconut cream, coconut milk and heavy cream. So creamy and smooth, it really complements the chocolate-rum sauce. With the sprig of mint perfuming the air as you take each bite, you will swear you can hear the waves of the turquoise ocean breaking on the sand in the distance!
Ingredients
Panna Cotta
- 1 tbsp powdered unflavored gelatin
- 3 tbsp cool water
- 1 (15 oz) can coconut cream, such as Coco Loco or Coco Lopez
- 1 (13.5 oz) can sweetened coconut milk, very well shaken
- 2 cups cold heavy cream
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, or to taste
- Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
Chocolate-Rum Sauce
- 10 oz semisweet chocolate chips (gluten-free if needed)
- 3 tbsp white rum or prepared coffee
- 1/2 cup coconut milk, well shaken, or more as needed
Instructions
- Place a very large, wide bowl on the counter. Select another bowl that will fit easily inside the larger bowl and set it next to the first bowl. Add about a dozen ice cubes and 1 to 2 cups of water to the larger bowl. Set out 6 (1-cup / 8 oz) ramekins. If you don’t want to turn these out onto serving plates, you can use clear serving dishes instead.
- Prepare the Panna Cotta: Place 3 tbsp cool water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Stir to moisten the gelatin and set aside to allow it to absorb the water. As it sits it will become a solid mass that releases from the bowl easily. Break it into several smaller pieces.
- In a saucepan, heat the coconut cream and coconut milk together over medium heat to just under a simmer. Stir it often to avoid scorching. The cream needs to be hot enough to dissolve the gelatin. When it is ready there will be wisps of steam rising from the surface, small bubbles around the edge of the pan, and a few small bubble breaking the surface occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the moistened gelatin. Whisk constantly until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
- Place a fine wire mesh sieve over the second bowl (set next to the larger bowl with the ice water). Pour the coconut mixture through the sieve and into the bowl. Carefully set the bowl with the cream mixture into the larger bowl with ice water, making sure that the water does not splash into the cream. It took a little nestling to get all the ice cubes around the outside of the bowl and not under the bottom so it would float evenly level.
- Stir cream mixture occasionally with a flexible spatula, moving the cream on the sides back into the center. Continue stirring until the mixture starts to thicken. When the cream is cooled, remove the bowl from the water bath and set on a clean kitchen towel.
- In another large bowl, combine the heavy cream with the confectioners’ sugar. Stir together with a whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Pour in the cooled coconut mixture and gently whisk until evenly blended. Taste and add more sugar if you think it needs it. Whisk it in until completely dissolved.
- Ladle the panna cotta mixture into the ramekins and set them on a Silpat-lined baking sheet (or use shelf liner) so they don't slide around. Cover each one with plastic wrap. Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill them until firm, at least 4 hours. These can be made a day ahead. Cover and store in the refrigerator.
- Make Chocolate-Rum Sauce: In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt the chocolate together with the rum and coconut milk. Watch the mixture carefully and stir it regularly until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy. If the mixture looks curdled, whisk in a little more of the coconut milk until smooth. Taste, and if needed, add a little powdered sugar, whisking until smooth.
- The sauce can be made up to a week in advance. Pour into a jar with an airtight lid and store in the refrigerator. Rewarm slightly before pouring over the panna cottas.
- To Serve: Run a sharp paring knife around the inside edge of the ramekins and invert each panna cotta onto a serving plate. If they don’t release, you can serve them upright in the ramekins. Drizzle some of the chocolate-rum sauce around each panna cotta, garnish with mint leaves and serve immediately.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
The major gluten-free organizations agree that distilled alcohols are gluten free. But for some very sensitive people they may cause issues. Some distillers may use caramel coloring or flavorings which sometimes contain gluten. If you are making this cake for a very reactive person, especially if they have Celiac, you can use potato vodka plus a little brown sugar in place of the rum.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 618Total Fat: 48gSaturated Fat: 32gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 42mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 3gSugar: 40gProtein: 6g
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dina
this looks so creamy and delicious!
Jane Bonacci
Thanks Dina!!!
Carrie @ poet in the pantry
You are truly a lovely person. <3 Thank you for asking me to be a part of this project! And this recipe looks fantastic. I have not made panna cotta before. I obviously need to remedy that immediately!
Jane Bonacci
Carrie, you are delight! It was my absolute pleasure to have you join in the fun. I can’t wait to see what you come up with next week!!!
susan @ the wimpy vegetarian
How fun to read about your process and inspiration. And I love the panacotta. Coincidentally I was tagged in a Writing Process Tour today and will doing my own post soon, and passing the baton to three more bloggers.
Jane Bonacci
I am so excited to read about how you come up with your amazingly creative recipes too Susan! This tour is a wonderful way to discover all kinds of new people to follow!!
Susan Williams
Jane, I absolutely loved learning even more about you! I wonder if your grandmother could have even imagined what a powerful impact she would have on not only YOUR life, but on the lives of so many others: the ones you are influencing through your writing!
Your photography is breathtaking!
I think you and I are destined to meet, and become friends.
Wishing you all the best!!!
Jane Bonacci
Oh Susan, there was definitely something happening when we were teamed up for this week’s tour! Mimi was an amazing woman and I wish I had had more time with her – she passed when I was only ten … but she had already left her legacy in my hands. 🙂 Thank you for your incredibly kind words. We all hope that we are making a difference in the world and touching someone with our words. But we seldom hear that feedback. I appreciate you, your story, and your fantastic sense of humor!!
Beth (OMG! Yummy)
Beautiful panna cotta – just love the colors. Great learning about your grandma and inspiration. I met Rose McAvoy at BHF Seattle – so much fun.
Jane Bonacci
Thanks Beth! Isn’t Rose the most fun and beautiful gal! I love her spirit and energy!!
fabiola@notjustbaked
I love this gorgeous dessert, and your sweet words. They go together perfectly! Your writing is beautiful, and inspiring. Thank you for taking the time to share with us your process and story.
Jane Bonacci
Ah sweet Fabi – I am so thrilled you are joining us on the tour and I can’t wait to read about your process! What a lucky day it was when I met you!!
Christine from Cook the Story
Your panna cotta is just beautiful!
Jane Bonacci
Thank you so much Christine ~ it is easy to get good photos of beautiful food! 🙂
Liren
Jane, it was so wonderful to learn more about your, your grandmother, and your process! You are incredibly busy! Thank goodness for supportive spouses, eh? I love this panna cotta – I make a very similar version, but have never thought to pair it with a chocolate rum sauce – that is brilliant!
Jane Bonacci
Thank you Liren. I’ll bet your panna cotta is amazing! After writing Chocolate Mondays for about three years, I automatically think about ways to add a chocolate component, LOL!
angela@spinachtiger
Jane
Gorgeous pictures, and wonderful words. Learning about your grandmother and your true passion for cooking (and teaching) was delightful. Thank you for joining me in this process. I’m so glad I said yes and you said yes.
Jane Bonacci
Thank you so much for including me Angela! It was a little intimidating at first, I’m not used to sharing about my life as much as some people. But it was a great way to break out and try something new! I loved yours as well and this whole process is amazing!