Coconut Panna Cotta

Can you believe August is just around the corner? I can’t. Time seriously needs to slow down because I am entirely prepared to enjoy this gorgeous summer weather for a few more months. It's kind of crazy, but since my last post John and I finally made our big move back to Seattle! It was such a long process to get up here, with a few, okay, a ton of hiccups along the way, but we endured it all and I finally get to say that we are back in the city we love! Being in Seattle has felt like a dream. You know, those dreams that you are totally aware of and don't want to wake up from. I mean, spending time with old friends, exploring new restaurants, having picnics in the park, oh, and enjoying a back yard (a luxury not readily available in L.A.)! It has all been so perfect, and my heart is overflowing with joy.

Since being back, I have had the pleasure of reconnecting with the ever so lovely Sasha Swerdloff. We met briefly before I moved to California a year ago, and thankfully our love for food and photography has kept us connected ever since. After chatting a bit, we both felt a collaboration was in the cards for us, and I couldn't think of a better person with whom to do one. Over the years I have realized that an odd aspect of blogging is that I spend a lot of time alone, so creating a recipe and shooting it with someone as sweet as Sasha was so much fun.

We wanted to create a refreshing dessert that would make use of all those blueberries filling up the markets, so we came up with this coconut panna cotta topped with a balsamic blueberry compote. The flavor combination in this dessert is insane, and it’s seriously such a delicious treat to enjoy on a summer day. This recipe has two parts, so in order to get the recipe for the compote, head over to Sasha’s incredibly beautiful blog, Tending the Table

Recipe adapted from David Lebovitz

Yields 4

1 Packet Gelatin

3 Tablespoons water

1 1/2 Cup Coconut Milk

1/4 Cup Heavy Cream

1 Vanilla Bean

Pinch Kosher Salt

Equipment: medium saucepan, wooden spoon or spatula, 4, 7 oz ramekins

METHOD

Add coconut milk and heavy cream to a saucepan. Scrape seed from vanilla bean and add to the saucepan along with the vanilla bean pod. Set saucepan to medium heat and remove from heat once milk begins to steam. Cover the pot and let steep for 20-30 minutes.

After the vanilla pod has steeped, in a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over 3 tablespoons of water and let bloom, about 3-5 minutes. Once firm, add the gelatin to saucepan and set to medium low heat, stir constantly until gelatin dissolves.

Pour liquid into 4 lightly greased, 7 oz ramekins. Place ramekins into the refrigerator for a few hours until set, preferably over night.

To un-mold, simply run a knife around the edges to loosen and flip onto a plate before serving.