Sugar Cube (24 page)

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I usually use sheet gelatin (also called leaf gelatin), but it can be hard to find. If you do score some, you’ll need about 3
¹
/
₂
sheets of 3- by-5-inch sheet gelatin for the panna cotta. To use sheet gelatin, let it rest in a bowl of cold water for 5 to 10 minutes, until soft. (Don’t use warm water, or it will melt the gelatin.) Scoop it out of the water with your hands and gently squeeze it to remove the excess water. Then place it directly in the warm liquid and whisk until incorporated.)

It’s not enough to just use coconut milk for this recipe. I steep the milk with toasted, sweetened, shredded coconut to make it truly coconutty. I prefer my panna cottas to be barely set, so they have a silky texture. This means that I use little gelatin and unmolding isn’t ideal. But I think panna cotta is much prettier served in a glass cup anyway. At the cart I serve them in little squat-bottomed mason jars, or you can dust off your grandma’s fancy vintage glassware and put it to good use.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS

• 1 heaping cup sweetened, shredded coconut (preferably Angel Flake)
  
• ¹
  /
  ₂
  cup almonds
  
• 3 cups unsweetened coconut milk (I use Chaokoh brand.)
  
• 4 cups heavy cream
  
• scant
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  cup granulated sugar
  
• ¹
  /
  ₈
  teaspoon sea salt
  
• 1 vanilla bean
  
• 3 tablespoons cold water
  
• 2 teaspoons powdered unflavored gelatin
  
• ¹
  /
  ₂
  to 1 cup
  Aunti Shirley’s Chocolate Sauce
  
• Fresh Whoop
  (optional)
  

• PREHEAT THE OVEN
  to 350°F. Spread the coconut in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, stirring occasionally, until most of the shreds are dark golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool. Spread the almonds in an even layer on the baking sheet and toast until fragrant and beginning to color, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn off the heat. Place eight 4-ounce ramekins or small serving glasses in the fridge. (Chilling the cups helps the panna cotta set faster.)
  
• IN A MEDIUM SAUCEPAN
  , combine the coconut milk, cream, sugar, salt, and the toasted coconut. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife. Add to the pan along with the pod and gently bring to a slight simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally (do not boil).
  
• WHILE THE CREAM IS HEATING
  , pour the cold water into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the top. Let stand for at least 5 minutes.
  
• WHEN THE CREAM HAS BEGUN TO SIMMER
  , remove it from the heat and strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl with a spout. Use a spatula to gently press the coconut against the sieve to force out all the liquid. Discard the solids and vanilla bean pod. Add the softened gelatin to the hot cream and whisk until incorporated. (You shouldn’t see any bits of solid gelatin.)
  
• DIVIDE THE MIXTURE
  equally among the chilled cups (do not cover with plastic wrap) and refrigerate until set, least 3 hours. (It should have the texture of a soft pudding.) Serve with 1
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  to 2 tablespoons chocolate sauce, a dollop of whoop and a sprinkling of toasted, chopped almonds.
  

•
If you want to use sheet gelatin, use 3
¹
/
₂
sheets of silver gelatin. See
Black Cow Panna Cotta
for tips on working with sheet gelatin.

•
Ungarnished panna cottas will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Cover each with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out.

Lemon curd doesn’t last long in my kitchen, but one day I actually did have some extra lingering in the fridge, and I wondered what would happen if I froze it. I figured I had a fifty-fifty chance of ending up with something icy and weird or something really awesome. I got lucky, because the result was amazing—silky, smooth frozen lemon custard that just melts in your mouth. It was just begging to be turned into a pudding pop, so I froze some more in little vintage gelatin molds and rolled the pops in crushed gingersnaps. Hot damn! This is such a fun dessert to serve in the summertime, when you crave something cool and creamy but want something with a little more personality than a scoop of ice cream. You can even tuck some fresh market berries into the molds for added pops of color and texture. Lemon and raspberry is a particularly happy match. Try serving them with some
Fresh Whoop
on the side and experiment with dipping options, like toasted coconut and finely chopped toasted nuts.
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

• 1 recipe
  Luscious Lemon Curd
  , cooled
  
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  

• 1 cup finely ground gingersnap cookies (about 15–20 small crispy cookies)
  
• ¹
  /
  ₈
  teaspoon sea salt
  
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  

• TO MAKE THE LEMON CREAM:
  Place six to eight gelatin molds or popsicle molds in the freezer to chill. (The amount of pops this recipe makes depends on the size of your molds. I get eight pops using my small, 3-ounce vintage gelatin molds, or six when I use standard 4-ounce popsicle molds.)
  
• IN THE BOWL OF A BLENDER OR FOOD PROCESSOR
  , purée the cooled lemon curd for 30 seconds. Add the heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time, blending for a few seconds between each addition. (Once the curd has been whipped it will turn a lovely pale yellow and it will have the most amazing lighter-than-air texture. I highly recommend this technique even if you’re serving the lemon curd straight up.) Transfer the mixture to a 4-cup liquid measuring cup with a spout and pour into the pre-chilled molds. (If you want to add berries place a few at the bottom of the molds, then tuck a few more in once the molds have been filled, though you might need a couple more molds.)
  
• TAP OUT ANY EXCESS AIR BUBBLES
  , insert popsicle sticks, and return to the freezer to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. They need to be completely frozen before unmolding.
  
• TO MAKE THE GINGERSNAP CRUNCH:
  Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, combine the ground gingersnaps and salt. Pour in the melted butter and mix until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Spread the crumbs on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 5 to 7 minutes, until beginning to crisp. Set aside to cool.
  
• PLACE A WARM WASHCLOTH
  on the outside of the molds for a few seconds to help loosen the frozen curd. Holding the stick, invert the molds and gently lift off. Roll the popsicles in the gingersnap crunch and serve immediately.