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Sugar High Friday: Nectarine-Coconut Surprise
September 23, 2006
No, it's not Friday. But here's a light, sweet dessert anyway for Sugar High Friday, a lovely way to end a meal, easy and quick for just one or two. Looks simple, doesn't it? A sweet piece of fruit with a drizzle of creamy, caramel dulce de leche.
Look again. There's a surprise inside!
This month's Sugar High Friday is hosted by Alanna at A Veggie Venture, and I love the theme she came up with - Surprise Inside! The assignment was to tuck a surprise into something sweet, and here's my rather tardy entry!
Nearly as easy as slicing up some fruit, this juicy and creamy dessert hides a coconut panna cotta inside nectarines lightly steamed with rum and lemon juice. There's a hint of nutmeg in the light pudding and the dulce de leche lends a luxurious finish. It's a snap to put it together ahead of time to be pulled out as a cool, delicious surprise at the end of a meal.
Click below for the recipe! The dulce de leche recipe is at Apartment Therapy: Kitchen - my first post this week as coeditor over there.
Serves two
2 nectarines, firm and not too ripe
3 lemons
3 tablespoons of rum (optional)
2/3 cup cream
1/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 tsp gelatin
2 tbsp sugar
A pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
Dulce de leche, to serve
Mint, to garnish
Nectarines
1. Cut the nectarines in half and using a small, sharp knife, cut around the pit and remove. Hollow out more of the fruit with a spoon or melon baller.
2. Juice the lemons and put the juice and rum In a large heavy saucepan, along with enough water to come to the bottom of a steamer insert. Put the nectarine halves in the steamer and cover the pot. Steam over medium heat for five minutes. Remove the nectarine halves and cool.
Panna Cotta
1. Over medium heat in a small saucepan, bring the cream and coconut milk to a simmer.
2. Take out 1/4 cup of the mixture and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Let it sit and soften for 10 minutes.
3. Add the gelatin, sugar, and nutmeg to the cream mixture and warm, stirring over medium heat until the gelatin and sugar are dissolved. Give it at least five minutes.
4. Pour into the nectarines and refrigerate until firm - about 2 hours.
5. Serve with a drizzle of dulce de leche and mint sprigs.
Posted by Faith at 23 September 2006
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Comments
Wow--this looks and sounds heavenly.
Posted by: lucette at September 23, 2006 08:33 PM
great entry for SHF -
I love your surprise inside and that first photo looks amazing with that dulche de leche sprinkle...yum! =)
Posted by: Julia at September 24, 2006 04:38 AM
How smart! I know I'll be making these in the near future. I love all the flavors you have incorporated.
Posted by: Helene at September 24, 2006 07:44 PM
Such a cut and great idea. Delicious!
Posted by: Bea at La Tartine Gourmande at September 24, 2006 07:46 PM
Such a beautiful presentation, almost too beautiful to destroy by eating. Your nectarines have white flesh, I've never seen that before is that because they are not fully ripe?
Posted by: Alison at October 1, 2006 04:54 PM
Thanks everyone. Yeah, Alison, they're white nectarines. I don't know if they're available everywhere - we get white peaches and white nectarines here and they are often so sweet and delicious!
Posted by: faith ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.mekuno.net/nav-commenters.gif)
at October 1, 2006 06:58 PM
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