coconut milk panna cotta set with gelatin and white sweet potato, served with a lemon caramel, AIP and dairy-free

Setting a panna cotta firmly enough to hold its shape takes 4 hours in the refrigerator at minimum, which is a real ask when what you actually want is dessert right now. The lemon caramel asks for its own patience too: 20 minutes at the stove, stirring and scraping the pan so the sugar reduces into something thick and gold instead of scorching along the edges. Neither step tolerates being rushed.

White-fleshed sweet potato is what gives this custard its body without tasting like sweet potato at all, and it is a source of vitamin B6, tied to immune cell regulation. Coconut milk is its own source of medium-chain triglycerides, a type of fat the liver can burn for quick energy rather than store the way it handles most other fats. Small, steady contributions, stacked into something that finally tastes like a real dessert on this protocol.

There is a particular satisfaction in building something this refined while still eating this strictly. Unmold the cold custard, spoon the warm caramel across the top right before it reaches the table, and notice, even briefly, that you made this from a can of coconut milk and a sweet potato.

Ingredients

Panna cotta

• 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat or light coconut milk
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 tablespoon gelatin powder, bloomed in a small amount of hot water

Body

• 1 1/4 cups warm cooked white sweet potato (white-fleshed, not orange)

Lemon caramel

• 2/3 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• pinch of sea salt

Method

1. In a blender, combine the coconut milk, lemon juice, honey, and salt. Blend briefly to combine. In a small bowl, bloom the gelatin by stirring it into a spoonful of warm coconut milk plus a splash of hot water until fully dissolved and lump-free, then add it to the blender. Add the warm cooked white sweet potato and blend until the mixture is completely smooth. Taste and adjust for tartness.
2. Divide the custard evenly among 4 ramekins. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until firmly set. The custard will not wobble properly until it has chilled through fully.
3. While the custards set, make the caramel: combine the coconut milk, coconut sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping any browned bits from the sides of the pan, until the caramel has reduced to a thick pourable syrup. Cool it completely before using - it thickens further as it cools.
4. To serve: spoon the caramel directly over the custard in the ramekin, or run a thin knife around the rim, invert each ramekin onto a small plate, and pour the caramel over the unmolded custard.

*Adapted from grazedandenthused.com*