Coconut Custard with Strawberries and Balsamic & Honey Sauce

So, this dessert is healthy, tastes delicious, promotes local business & farmers and can be vegan as well.

Ever since I discovered fresh coconut milk (if you are a frequent visitor, you must have heard me blabbering about how I love the fresh coconut milk) I’ve been trying to develop this recipe.

I was extremely happy with the results. The mild flavor of coconut custard complimented with the tartness of fresh strawberries and the intense flavors of balsamic vinegar and dark honey.

I was very pleased with the way this dessert tasted for a few reasons:

  1. I did not use any sugar in it, only honey.
  2. I used two different kinds of honey- a mild one to sweeten the custard and a dark one for the balsamic sauce.
  3. The honey (both) were organic and I bought it from the local farmers at Auroville. Therefore making it a “Real” ingredient.

You can make this vegan!

I used equal parts of cream and coconut milk, but you can totally skip the cream and double the quantity of coconut milk. Or used equal parts of fresh coconut milk and packaged coconut milk. Since the fresh coconut milk is watery you might end up having problem with achieving the custard consistency. Packaged coconut milk will add the thickness that’s needed.

You could use any other fruit instead of strawberries, like blueberries, fresh figs, kiwi etc. or anything citrus. It should taste pretty awesome.

Its a perfect healthy dessert for non-chocoholics and vegans or if you just happen to like all these flavors!

It is highly recommended by me.

Serves about 4

Cooking time 30 min + refrigerator time about 4 hours

Things you will need:

For the custard

1 cup fresh coconut milk, (use packaged if cant make fresh)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup mild flavor honey

3 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs cornstarch

Combine coconut milk and cream in a deep pan and heat over medium heat stirring continuously till the mixture starts warming up. Add honey and vanilla and mix some more. Stir to combine till the cream mixture it heated through and you see little bubbles on the surface. Dissolve the cornstarch in some room temperature coconut milk or cream and pour into the hot cream mixture and stir. The mixture will start to thicken, turn the heat off and keep stirring. Pour into the custard cups or glass. Put on a flat surface and let cool till it reaches room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

For the Sauce

1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup dark honey

In a saucepan heat the balsamic vinegar with honey. Once the mixture is heated through, let it simmer on medium low till it reduces by half in quantity. It should form into a thick sauce, turn the heat off and let cool.

To assemble the dessert

1 pint fresh strawberries, cut into quarters (or however you like it)

handful of pistachios, unsalted and slivered

Arrange fresh strawberries on the custard, drizzle a generous amount of the balsamic & honey sauce, sprinkle some pistachios and serve.

NOTE: For vegans who don’t eat honey, substitute it with equal parts of Agave nectar!

Category : Desserts, Eggless, Vegan
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