‘Piña colada’ panna cotta

Piña colada pudding. Photograph: Harry Weir
Serves: 4
Course: Dessert
Cooking Time: 10 mins
Prep Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

  • 2 tins (800g) coconut milk
  • 100g icing sugar
  • 2tbs vanilla bean paste OR the seeds from two vanilla pods
  • 5 gelatine leaves
  • 80g caster sugar
  • 50ml water
  • 50ml Malibu coconut rum liqueur
  • Juice of one lime
  • 1tbs honey
  • 1 pineapple
  • 4tbs desiccated coconut, toasted
  • Fresh mint leaves
  • Zest of one lime
  1. Pour and scrape the coconut milk into a blender, then blend until smooth.
  2. Add the coconut milk, icing sugar and vanilla into a pot and heat gently over a low heat without allowing it to boil.
  3. Place the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water until they soften. Once the sugar has dissolved in the coconut milk, remove it from the heat and pour the mix into a jug. Strain the gelatine well, then stir the gelatine into the coconut milk mixture until dissolved.
  4. Leave the mixture to cool for 30 minutes, then stir and pour the mix into glass bowls, about halfway up.
  5. Chill in the fridge until set, cold and wobbly to touch.
  6. To make the syrup, add the caster sugar, water, Malibu liqueur, lime juice and honey to a small pot. Slowly bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. When the sugar has dissolved, remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool.
  7. Remove the top, then peel and core the pineapple. Chop the pineapple into small cubes and add to a mixing bowl. Pour the cooled syrup over the pineapple and mix gently with a spoon.
  8. Remove the set coconut milk mix from the fridge. Spoon some of the dressed pineapple on top and sprinkle with toasted desiccated coconut. Garnish with some mint leaves and lime zest.
Mark Moriarty

Mark Moriarty

Mark Moriarty is an award winning chef, TV host, author and Irish Times columnist.