Vegan Dragon Fruit Panna Cotta
Feb 09, 2018, Updated Apr 13, 2018
Dairy-free & Vegan Dragon Fruit Panna Cotta is an elegant dessert to put together for Valentine's Day! It's free of refined sugar and gets done in minutes!
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Vegan Dragon Fruit Panna Cotta made with only 4 basic ingredients. An easy & elegant dessert that you can make in practically no time. It’s also so perfect for Valentine’s Day with its gorgeous pink color!
Panna Cotta is one of my favorite desserts but I don’t really eat it at restaurants. That’s because they almost always use gelatin and I am never comfortable with the idea of having gelatin in my food especially because I am a vegetarian. So, whenever I feel like having a panna cotta, I make it at home using agar agar. It gives great results each time. This time around, I changed things up a bit and made my panna cotta vegan. Guys, it turned out so good! Like, it’s not every day that I am super impressed with what I make, but this dessert exceeded my expectations. Hubby said this could be served at a fancy restaurant and he doesn’t even like coconut milk-based dessert!
I am always so fascinated by these natural colors. I mean isn’t the bright magenta just gorgeous? I seriously can’t get over it!
Traditionally panna cotta is made with cream but in this dairy free version we use coconut milk. It’s important to use full fat coconut milk here for best results, the lite one won’t really cut it. Panna cotta is a very easy dessert to make, you practically need only the cream, or in this case coconut milk, some sweetener and then something to set/thicken it up. So basically, there are only 3 ingredients that you need to make a panna cotta. Then you top it with some fresh berries or sauce and you are done. Such an elegant dessert which gets done in no time.
To keep this dragon fruit panna cotta vegan, I used maple syrup to sweeten it up and agar agar flakes to set the dessert. You can find agar agar at grocery stores or amazon. You can find it either in powder form or as flakes. I have used flakes here and in case you do the same just make sure that it dissolves completely before you pour into serving containers to set.
This Vegan Dragon Fruit Panna Cotta
✓ is dairy-free, nut-free and gluten-free
✓ free of refined sugar
✓ gets done in less than 15 minutes (excluding the time it takes to set)
✓ makes a perfect dessert to celebrate Valentine’s Day!
I topped with vegan panna cotta with a dragon fruit topping. The pop of pink against the white really stood out and made it look like a very fancy dessert when in reality it couldn’t be simpler to make! In case you can’t find dragon fruit, you can use other fruits like strawberries or raspberries. The panna cotta will still look just as good & pink/red!
Method
To a pan on medium heat, add the coconut milk.
Then add the agar agar flakes and 3 tablespoons of maple syrup.
Stir to combine. Once the mixture heats up (do not boil), lower the heat to low-medium and let it simmer for 5 to 7 minutes on until the agar agar flakes dissolve completely. Keep stirring often.
Remove pan from heat and pass the mixture through a strainer. This is important to get a smooth panna cotta. Pour the mixture into serving cups/glasses and let it cool down to room temperature. Place the glasses into the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours for the panna cotta to firm up.
Meanwhile make the dragon fruit sauce. To a pan on medium heat, add the chopped dragon fruit along with the remaining 2.5 tablespoons maple syrup.
Add 1/4 cup water to the pan and let the mixture come to a boil. Boil until the fruit breaks down and get really soft. Mash the dragon fruit using a masher.
In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/4 cup water with cornstarch. Stir well and then add the cornstarch slurry to the sauce.
Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for 2 minutes until it thickens up a bit.
Remove the sauce from heat and pass through a strainer to get rid of the black bits in the dragon fruit. You will have a smooth sauce. Place the sauce into the refrigerator to chill.
Pour the prepared dragon fruit sauce over the panna cotta once it has set. Serve this vegan dragon fruit panna cotta chilled.
Vegan Dragon Fruit Panna Cotta
Ingredients
- 13.6 oz can coconut milk around 2 cups, use full fat
- 5.5 tablespoons maple syrup divided
- 2 teaspoons agar agar flakes
- 1 cup chopped dragon fruit
- 1/2 cup water divided
- 1.5 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
- To a pan on medium heat, add the coconut milk. Then add the agar agar flakes and 3 tablespoons of maple syrup and stir to combine.
- Once the mixture heats up (do not boil), lower the heat to low-medium and let it simmer for 5 to 7 minutes on until the agar agar flakes dissolve completely. Keep stirring often.
- Remove pan from heat and pass the mixture through a strainer. This is important to get a smooth panna cotta.
- Pour the mixture into serving cups/glasses and let it cool down to room temperature. Place the glasses into the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours for the panna cotta to firm up.
- Meanwhile make the dragon fruit sauce. To a pan on medium heat, add the chopped dragon fruit along with the remaining 2.5 tablespoons maple syrup.
- Add 1/4 cup water to the pan and let the mixture come to a boil. Boil until the fruit breaks down and get really soft. Mash the dragon fruit using a masher.
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/4 cup water with cornstarch. Stir well and then add the cornstarch slurry to the sauce.
- Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for 2 minutes until it thickens up a bit.
- Remove the sauce from heat and pass through a strainer to get rid of the black bits in the dragon fruit. You will have a smooth sauce. Place the sauce into the refrigerator to chill.
- Pour the prepared dragon fruit sauce over the panna cotta once it has set. Serve chilled.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Vegan Dragon Fruit Panna Cotta
Oops sorry! I mean Manali
Hi Richa, such an amazing recipe. Will be trying soon. Can we replace agar agar with gelatin?
You mean Manali? I haven’t tried the recipe with gelatin so can’t say.
Hello, how much agar-agar powder would you recommend using? I only have agar-agar powder and xanthum guym (so no looking to but more).
Thanks
probably use less agar agar powder- this is what I found online “if the recipe calls for 3 teaspoons agar flakes, use 1 teaspoon agar powder”.
So based on that use a little more than 1/2 teaspoon powder for this recipe.
As you have mentioned above, instead of coconut milk you can use Heavy cream. But do I need to add milk to the cream or just use heavy cream in replacement of coconut milk?
use heavy cream in place of coconut milk
Is it compulsory to use coconut milk? Can i use normal milk?
panna cotta needs creamy base. If you don’t want to use coconut milk, use heavy cream. Normal milk (only) will not be creamy enough.
Hi Manali ,this pannacota looks awesome .I’m definitely gonna try it .can I use honey instead of maple syrup ?suggest me other healthy sweetener options.
You may use honey..agave is another sweetener..
Wow what a gorgeous panna cotta, Manali! That’s such an awesome use of dragon fruit!
I saw this one on Instagram over the weekend, and I immediately stopped and said “woah.”! This turned out quite well, Manali…no need to order this one when you can make it at home instead!
Thanks David, it turned out pretty well indeed! 🙂
Such a pretty dessert! Love the dragon fruit in here!
Thanks Gayle!
This looks wonderful! My mom used to make something similar when I was kid. Great recipe Manali.
Thanks Puja!
OMG!! Such a beautiful looking dessert!! Love the colour. i can just keep looking it at. I am sure it tasted great too.
Thank you Pankti, yes it tasted great too! 🙂
I always love the gorgeous colour from the dragon fruit. These little sweet treats look so beautiful!