Vegan Panna Cotta

Makes: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

quick and easy plant based dessert to wow your friends and family with!

*created for Fire Fruit

I love recreating classic favourites that heal instead of hurt like this delicious plant based / vegan version of a panna cotta that is not only dairy free but also refined sugar free too. Traditionally, panna cotta is a sweet Italian dessert that is made from thickening cream with gelatine to form a thick custard-like consistency. I love this recipe because it's not only super quick and easy to make but it can also be prepared in advance as well. Simple ingredients, prepared with love and plated beautifully makes for an elegant masterpiece at your next celebration.

Let's cook :)

Ingredients for the panna cotta

• 2 tins full fat coconut milk

• 1 vanilla pod

• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

• 1.5 tsp agar agar powder

• 1 tsp tapioca flour (optional)

• Pinch of pink beetroot Himalayan salt

Ingredients for the dragon fruit compote

• 1 cup chopped purple dragon fruit

• Juice from 1 lime

• 1/4 cup lemongrass tea, cold

• 1/4 cup raspberries

Ingredients for sweet almond gomasio

• 1/4 cup flaked almonds

• 2 tbsp white sesame seeds

• 2 tsp coconut sugar

• Pinch of pink Himalayan salt

To serve:

Dragon fruit slices

Fresh mint leaves

Edible flowers

Method

1. To make the panna cotta, combine the coconut milk, vanilla pod and maple syrup together in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer, do not boil. Combine the agar agar powder with a little bit of water to form a milky white liquid. Add to the saucepan and continue to mix until thickened. Depending on what coconut milk you are using, if the mixture doesn't thicken enough you can add the tapioca flour. First combine the tapioca flour with some water to form a milky white liquid before adding to the saucepan. Continue stirring until thickened and remove from heat. Divide the mixture into 4 desired ramekins, allow to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight.

2. To make the dragon fruit compote, simply add the dragon fruit and lime juice to a small pot and gently simmer on low heat. The fruit will cook down and once it becomes a jam like consistency, remove from heat. Allow to cool and then half the mixture. Combine the cold lemongrass tea and raspberries with half of the mixture and blend until smooth.

3. To make the sweet almond gomasio, combine all the ingredients together in a food processor or Nutribullet and pulse until a crumb is formed.

4. Let's assemble! Remove the ramekins from the fridge and depending on what container you used they should slip out easily, if you struggle gently use a thin knife around the edge of each ramekin and remove onto a serving plate. Serve with the blended dragon fruit sauce, top with the dragon fruit compote, sweet almond gomasio, fresh dragon fruit slices, fresh mint leaves and edible flowers. Enjoy!

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Special thanks to food stylist and photographer, Samantha Lowe

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With love,

Mira