 | Coconut Panna CottaPastry Chef Michelle Poteaux of Bastille Brasserie & Bar | Alexandria, VA |
I love the combination of coconut, pineapple, and passion fruit. This dessert highlights the balance of richness and acidity I love in tropical flavor profiles. Perfect Purée Coconut Puree brings clean, consistent flavor to the panna cotta, while Perfect Purée Tamarind Puree deepens and sharpens the Carmelized Pineapple. The result is a refined yet playful composition of textures and contrast.
Ingredients for Coconut Panna Cotta:
Yield: 8 servings
• 400 g. heavy cream
• 200 g. The Perfect Purée Coconut Puree, thawed
• 75 g. granulated sugar
• 8 g. powdered gelatin
• 45 g. cold water
Ingredients for Tamarind Roasted Pineapple:
Yield: 1 pint
• 1 whole pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into wedges
• 60 g. The Perfect Purée Tamarind Puree, thawed
• 40 g. brown sugar
• 30 g. butter, melted
• pinch of salt
Ingredients for Macadamia Nut Crumble:
Yield: 1 quart
• 150 g. macadamia nuts, toasted and chopped
• 100 g. all-purpose flour
• 100 g. brown sugar
• 100 g. butter, cold and cubed
• 2 g. salt
Ingredients for Pineapple Passion Fruit Sorbet:
Yield: 2 quarts
• 300 g. The Perfect Purée Carmelized Pineapple Concentrate, thawed
• 200 g. The Perfect Purée Passion Fruit Concentrate, thawed
• 250 g. water
• 125 g. sugar
• 50 g. glucose
• 2 g. sorbet stabilizer
Method for Coconut Panna Cotta:
Bloom the gelatin in cold water and set aside. In a saucepan, combine heavy cream, Perfect Purée Coconut Puree, and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and whisk in the bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved. Strain through a chinois and portion into molds. Chill until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Method for Tamarind Roasted Pineapple:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a bowl, whisk together Perfect Purée Tamarind Puree, brown sugar, melted butter, and salt. Toss pineapple wedges in the mixture to coat evenly. Arrange on a parchment-lined sheet tray and roast for 25–30 minutes, turning once, until caramelized and tender. Cool to room temperature and slice as needed for plating.
Method for Macadamia Nut Crumble:
Combine flour, brown sugar, salt, and butter in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low until crumbly and the butter is evenly distributed. Stir in toasted macadamia nuts by hand. Spread on a parchment-lined sheet tray and bake at 325°F for 12–15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely and break into coarse pieces.
Method for Pineapple Passion Fruit Sorbet:
Combine sugar, water, glucose, and stabilizer in a saucepan. Bring to 185°F while whisking to dissolve completely. Remove from heat and cool over an ice bath. Once cold, whisk in Perfect Purée Carmelized Pineapple and Perfect Purée Passion Fruit Concentrate until smooth. Chill for 4 hours, then process in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. Freeze until firm.
To Assemble and Serve:
Unmold the Coconut Panna Cotta onto a chilled plate. Arrange slices of Tamarind Roasted Pineapple alongside, letting some syrup pool on the plate. Spoon Macadamia Nut Crumble around the panna cotta for texture. Top with a quenelle of Pineapple Passion Fruit Sorbet and finish with micro mint or edible flowers for freshness and contrast. Serve immediately.