Dessert ideas with coconut?

Gardener972

Since I LOVE coconut so much, would you give me some dessert ideas that using coconut, either coconut milk or dried coconut.

snonymous

1. Simple Coconut Barfi: 1cup grated coconut, 1cup sugar, 1/2 cup ground or chopped cashew nuts or if you prefer, almonds, pista etc. Mix with milk. Micro till somewhat beyond soft ball stage. Pour into a greased plate and cut into squares as it cools. In a micro, use a large bowl as it can well overflow and you dont want to clean up the mess. You may require a bit more sugar to get the correct consistency - if you use too little, it will not set firm. Traditionally the sugar syrup would be made first, then the other ingredients added and the entire mass stirred for ever until it reaches the correct stage. Add ground cardamom for flavour, if you like.

2. Coconut Custard: Extract coconut milk from 2 coconuts. Finely grind the solids and keep aside. Alternately, use ready coconut milk powder. Melt jaggery [dark palm jaggery gives a better flavour than lighter cane jaggery]. Mix the coconut milk with the jaggery mix. Beat at least 4 eggs well and add them to the coco-jag mix. Bake in a hot oven until set. I believe this is also called WATTALAPPUM. A Sri Lankan Tamil friend who introduced me to this dessert, called it by that name. Whatever its called, its delicious. If you cant get jaggery, use sugar, it is as tasty, its just that jaggery gives a unique flavour especially in combination with coconut. If you dont want eggs, you can also use a little unflavoured custard powder, in this case there is no need to bake the dish as it will set when cool - coconut milk also gels. Add cardamom if you like.

Sorry, I cant help you with quantities, Im a "little bit of this and a little bit of that" kind of cook. In any case you cant go wrong with the above recipes. As with most foods, fresh is always the best, but use dry or dessicated if you cant get fresh.

There is another favourite coconut sweet which I love, but cant make, called KARANJEE, its a crescent shaped fried pastry case stuffed with a mix of coconut, semolina, sugar and nuts. Maharashtrians make it for festivals. North Indians add "khoya" or "mawa" to the stuffing and call it Gujjeeya which is also scrumptuous. I think they make it around the Holi festival but you can get them at other times too.

A similar sweet which also I cant make, is called KOZHUKOTTAI - made by South Indians, which is a delicious steamed rice flour pastry case stuffed with coconut and jaggery mixture. This is traditionally made during the Ganesh Chathurthi festival.

Then of course there are the Coconut Ladoos which have been extensively described in another thread - was it yours?

Have fun.

grikoo

Here's one that I make for special occasions. It's a modified recipe for a puerto rican dish - tembleque. It's like a very firm coconut pudding, filled with fruit and topped with chocolate.

Take 2-3 cans coconut milk, 1/2-3/4 cup corn starch, a pinch of salt, lemon flavoring and sugar to taste (I usually use around 1/2-3/4 cup sugar). I prefer lemon extract instead of lemon juice, as it's the subtle aromatic qualities of the lemon, not the acidity, that you're trying to get here. Heat these on medium heat, stirring constantly.

The following steps must be performed very very quickly, or the bottom will not seal to the top:

When the mixture reaches a certain temperature, it will begin to congeal. When it reaches a slightly paste like consistency, remove it from the heat and immediately spread it on the interior of a medium mixing bowl, about 2-3cm thick and up to 2-3cm from the top edge of the bowl (test the size of the bowl before hand by filling with the coconut milk).

Immediately fill the cavity with fruit and sugar mix (I usually use strawberries, but you could use many fruits), being careful not to get any juice on the top edge of the coconut mixture. Immediately spread the remaining coconut mixture over the fruit up to the top edge of the bowl, being careful not to press juice into the seam, and making sure the seam is sealed well. This will be the bottom of the dish, and must seal well or it will break open when you un-mold it. You should try to accomplish the above steps in under 2 minutes.

Next, put it in the refrigerator for a few hours to allow it to set up. When cold and set, dip the bowl in hot water for about a minute (metal bowls are best). Put a plate over top and flip it upside down. If you're lucky the seam will remain sealed as the dish comes out of the bowl. If not, it will still taste good. If it breaks, simply serve it in individual dishes, drizzling chocolate on them individually.

Drizzle the dish with melted semi-sweet or dark chocolate. Garnish the top with some sliced fruit and mint leaves. Return to the fridge for 30 minutes to set the chocolate. Serve.

Try to choose a fruit that naturally goes well with chocolate, as the chocolate forms a bridge between the coconut flavor and the fruit flavor, and adds a more complex dimension to the dish. This is why I tend to favor strawberries. Mangos would be a good choice too.

snonymous

Grikoo
That sounds very nice.

grikoo

Thanks.....That's a fairly new one out of my kitchen.

Gardener972

Thanks everyone... keep the recipes coming!

singsub

stuff any flavour of icecream you please inside the tender coconut.

grikoo

Chocolate dipped macaroons made from fresh coconut are fantastic. Recipes available all over the web. Very easy to make.

Khandoma

Gardener972, I'm assuming you want Indian recipes ?
If your interests are broader, try this.

Preparation : 10 mn. Cooking time : none. Effect : Wow.
You need : 3 bowls, 2 forks, 2 glasses, 1 spoon.

Flying Carpet
For 2 people
In a large bowl, mix 300 gr of mascarpone (or greek yogurt or soft white cheese) with 300 gr of sweetened whipped cream and 2 to 3 tablespoons of coconut cream / extract / milk. Use a fork or a hand whip to mix, not an electric one.
In another bowl, pour 250 gr of raspberries, 1 tablespoon of powder sugar (brown if possible), add the juice of 1/2 lime. Mash the raspberries with a fork to a pulp.
In a third bowl, take 4 to 6 of your favourite coconut dry cookies. Reduce them to powder.
You're done preparing.

In a pretty, transparent glass :
First put a layer of cookie powder
Then a layer of the cream preparation. Then a layer of fruit.
Pile up layers of cream and fruit. Top up with a layer of cream.
Decorate with a single raspberry, a pinch of cookie powder and a pinch of coconut powder.
This dish can be done in the morning and kept in the fridge until dinner. Serve with a long spoon.
These deserts are not just good. They're good-looking, too, and guaranteed to bring yummy sounds from your guests.

Strawberries can be replaced by fresh pinapple, peach, mango - any fruit that's acid and sweet and strong enough, with a bright colour for effect. If you want to use coconut as a fruit in this desert, try this :

The Coconut Mousse
In a bowl, pour 20 cl of milk, 1 tablespoon of coconut cream, 2 tablespoons of grated coconut, 2 tablespoons of dark powdered cocoa (unsweetened if possible). I like to add 2 to 4 drops of coconut flavour. If you like rum now's the time to add a teaspoon. Use a blender or a hand whip to mix. Add 2 gr of agar-agar (or gelatin), cover and let in the fridge for 2 hours. You have made a mousse that you can now use as a fruit in the Flying Carpet. Or eat it as is if you just can't wait.

And how about coconut on your toasts, or on your fruit salad, every morning ? Check this out.

The Coconut Spread
Melt 100 gr of chocolate. To do that, cut it in small pieces, put it in a glass bowl and put the bowl in a cold-water-filled pan, half-filled. Make absolutely sure not a drop of water goes into the chocolate. Turn the heat under the pan. When the water starts to boil, watch your chocolate, turning it very slowly from time to time with a wooden / rubber spatula, making sure no water goes in. As soon as it's totally melted, remove from the hot water and let it cool in the open air, not in the fridge.
When the preparation is cold, add :
2 tablespoons of concentrated milk (not plain milk !)
1 tablespoon of coconut cream
1 to 2 tablespoons of grated coconut
Mix with a spoon and let it sit 2 hrs in the fridge.
Then pour the spread in a clean jar with a lid and store in the fridge. It will keep 1 to 2 weeks. Use for breakfasts and deserts. If you use bitter chocolate and unsweetened concentrated milk, the preparation will be bitter enough to be used with grilled shrimp, raw fish, or chicken.

Bon Appétit !

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grikoo

MMMMMM......

Flying carpet is similar to a dish I make with ricotta and sour cream. Never thought of using coconut milk. Good idea there!

Like the bitter spread as well. Ever thought of adding chili to it? For fish or chicken.

Gardener972

Yes, thank you.

Gardener972

Has anyone made coconut burfi with sweetened condensed milk?

edwardseco

Italian cream chease cake uses grated coconut..

Gardener972

True, can that be found in India? How about German chocolate cake! Um!