COCONUT PANNA COTTAS (for six)

Panna cotta, “cooked milk” in Italian, originated in Piedmont, but the Tuscans have appropriated it. It is often topped with honey and pine nuts, since Pisa is Europe’s largest producer of pignoli.

1-¼ cups boiling hot water

1-2/3 cups sweetened flaked coconut

2 cups heavy cream plus additional if necessary

one envelope unflavored gelatin (2-¼ teaspoons)

2 tablespoons cold water

3 tablespoons sugar

1. Pour boiling hot water over coconut in a blender, then let soak for 5 minutes. Blend well, about 30 seconds (use caution when blending hot liquids). Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large glass measure, pressing on solids, until you have 1 cup coconut milk.

2. Add cream to coconut milk (to bring total to 3 cups).

3. Lightly oil ramekins. Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small saucepan and let soften 1 minute. Heat over low heat, stirring, until gelatin has dissolved. Add cream mixture with sugar and a pinch of salt and heat over medium heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Divide among ramekins and chill until set, at least 4 hours.

NOTE: Panna cotta can be chilled up to 1 day.

from Gourmet Magazine, March, 2009