Coconut sugar panna cotta and mandarin marmalade

Babiche Martens

Colourful and totally divine, a dollop of mandarin marmalade goes with anything — even on that toast if you’re desperate. Here, I have made a coconut panna cotta, which complements the spices in the marmalade. Coconut sugar comes from the sap of the coconut tree not the white pulp we associate with coconut, hence the slightly golden colour. The flavour is unique and delicious, and green kiwifruit are a finishing touch.

Ingredients

100 g	Coconut sugar (Main)
400 ml	Coconut water
5 leaves	Gelatine, soaked in cold water to soften (Main)
400 ml	Coconut cream (Main)

For the marmalade

6	Mandarins, cut into quarters (Main)
1 ½ cups	Water
1 cup	Sugar
2 sticks	Cinnamon
3	Star anise

To serve

1 small handful	Coconut shavings
3	Kiwifruit, green ones, or more according to taste, chopped to garnish
6 sprigs	Fresh mint, for garnish

Directions

1. To make the panna cotta, place the sugar and coconut water into a small pot and stir over a low heat until dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatin leaves to dissolve.
2. Stir through the coconut cream. Pour into a bowl and place over iced water and stir until completely cold.
3. Pour the mixture into six ramekins or moulds, cover and refrigerate until needed.
4. To make the marmalade, place the mandarins, water, sugar, cinnamon and star anise into a medium-sized pot. Slowly bring to the heat, stirring occasionally then simmer for 30 minutes or until the mandarins are completely tender. Remove the mandarins with a slotted spoon and strain the spices.
5. Return the liquid to the pot and simmer until reduced by half and getting syrupy. Return the mandarins to the syrup then place in a blender and whizz until almost smooth. Allow to cool.
6. For plating, dip the panna cotta into a warm bath of water very briefly then invert on to a plate. Dollop on the marmalade and garnish.

More impressive nibbles from Angela

• Labne and lavosh
• Mushroom tarts with poached eggs