Simple, Sweet, Luscious, and Light
If you love a little dessert from time to time but want something that’s not too heavy, boy, have I got the recipe for you. This Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis (doesn’t that sound fancy?) is easy, light and so full of flavor. It’s dairy and gluten-free, by the way. It takes about 15 minutes to make and it’s oh so luscious. What’s stopping you? Not a thing! Each serving is around 300 calories.
It’s my husband’s birthday and I know exactly what he will say if I ask him about what he’d like for dessert…..nothing. That’s right, I married a “non-dessert-er.” No birthday cake, no ice cream, not even a little cupcake. In fact, If I made one just to surprise him, it would sit, uneaten in the refrigerator until I could no longer stand it, then I would eat it myself.
This is the truth and it’s happened quite a number of times.
I start whittling down on said baked treat, very slowly. A little crumb here, the sliding frosting over there, then, just a bit of the side. Whoops, you look back and I ate it. Three weeks later, he’ll say something like, “gee, what happened to that cupcake?” “Well, I had to throw that out, it was hard as a rock!” See how that goes?
This year, I was determined to give him a sweet treat I knew he’d love. A healthy(ish) Panna Cotta made with coconut milk. Topped with fresh raspberry coulis, which is just a simple sauce made from fresh raspberries with a few little add-ins that intensify the fresh raspberry flavor.
When I tell you this is easy to make, I literally pulled it together while he was out watering the plants. Surprise, Surprise, Surprise. You can make this in about 15 minutes, then it’s just chill time.
Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis
You can basically make Panna Cotta from anything. Generally, it’s made with cream and flavored with whatever you want to use, from vanilla, chocolate, the skies the limit. Using unsweetened coconut milk makes this version dairy-free. The ingredient that makes it firm and jiggly is gelatin. I use envelopes of unflavored Knox Gelatin. This recipe would be vegan too, but gelatin is made with animal products, so if you’re vegan, be sure to substitute with agar-agar or a vegan form of gelatin.
How To Make Panna Cotta
Into a small bowl add 1 envelope, 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of gelatin powder with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Mix well and let it “bloom” for 5 minutes. The gelatin will combine with the water and turn solid.
Add 2 cups of whole fat coconut milk to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 3 tablespoons of honey, a pinch of salt, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. For even more flavor, and I love those floating vanilla beans, you can use 1 whole vanilla bean, scraped. Even add the empty pod while the mixture steeps to a simmer.
Once simmering, add the gelatin and whisk well, take care that all the gelatin is melted into the liquid. Bring back to a simmer. Remove from heat. Remove the vanilla bean pods, if using.
Spray 4 4 ounce ramekins with cooking spray. Pour the liquid into the prepared dishes and chill in the refrigerator for about 6 hours or overnight.
Note – If you don’t have ramekins, you can make these in any small glasses or bowls. You don’t even have to remove the panna cotta before serving, it’s lovely right in the dish too.
Raspberry Coulis
Pronounced koo-LEE, coulis is French for a thick sauce that’s made from puréed and strained fruits or vegetables.
Into a small saucepan, add 1 cup of fresh, cleaned raspberries. Over medium-low heat, let the raspberries simmer, stirring a bit to crush them into a sauce. Add 1 pinch of salt and 3 tablespoons of sugar, mix well. Add 1 tablespoon each of Chambord (raspberry liqueur and Grand Marnier (orange liqueur).
If you don’t want to add the liqueur, add a few tablespoons of either fresh lemon or orange juice instead.
Mix well in your blender or with a stick blender, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
Refrigerate the sauce until ready to serve.
To serve, using a butter knife, gently loosen panna cotta from the edges of the dish, then invert onto a dessert plate. Swirl the coulis on the plate or over the Panna Cotta or both! Grarnish with a fresh raspberry and a little mint or basil.
The coulis will keep refrigerated for about a week. I bet you can find lots of delicious ways to enjoy any of the leftover sauce as well.
Enjoy!
Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis – Dairy Free/Gluten Free
Ingredients
For the Panna Cotta
- 2 cups (1 can) whole fat Coconut Milk
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 envelope (1 1/2-2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 whole vanilla bean, scraped
For the Raspberry Coulis
- 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (keep a few for garnish)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon Chambord Raspberry Liqueur
- 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier Liqueur
- Optional - if omitting liqueur, substitute with 2 tablespoons fresh orange or lemon juice)
Garnish: Fresh raspberries, fresh mint or basil
Instructions
For the Panna Cotta
- Into a small bowl add the gelatin powder with 2 tablespoons of cold water.
- Mix well and let it "bloom" for 5 minutes.
- The gelatin will combine with the water and turn solid.
- Add 2 cups of whole fat coconut milk to a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Add 3 tablespoons of honey, a pinch of salt, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
- For even more flavor, and I love those floating vanilla beans, you can use 1 whole vanilla bean, scraped.
- Even add the empty pod while the mixture steeps to a simmer.
- Once simmering, add the gelatin and whisk well, take care that all the gelatin is melted into the liquid.
- Bring back to a simmer. Remove from heat.
- Spray 4 4 ounce ramekins with cooking spray.
- Pour the liquid into the prepared dishes and chill in the refrigerator for about 6 hours or overnight.
For the Raspberry Coulis
- Into a small saucepan, add 1 cup of fresh, cleaned raspberries.
- Over medium-low heat, let the raspberries simmer, stirring a bit to crush them into a sauce. Add 1 pinch of salt and 3 tablespoons of sugar, mix well.
- Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat.
- Add 1 tablespoon each of Chambord (raspberry liqueur and Grand Marnier (orange liqueur). If you don't want to add liqueur, substitute with a few tablespoons of either fresh lemon or orange juice.
- Mix well in your blender or with a stick blender, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
- Refrigerate and serve over or under your Panna Cotta.
- The coulis will keep refrigerated for about a week.
To serve
- Using a butter knife, gently loosen panna cotta from the edges of the dish, then invert onto a dessert plate. Swirl the coulis on the plate or over the Panna Cotta or both!
- Garnish with a fresh raspberry and a sprig of fresh mint or basil.
