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Apricot Milk Panna Cotta (Real Food, Paleo)


I absolutely love this rich and creamy dessert!  Made without dairy or eggs, the full-fat coconut milk gives this lightly sweetened dish a velvet-like texture that is just divine.  And it is so simple to make, it can be an after-dinner dessert (or morning snack) any day of the week.

Panna cotta is an Italian dessert usually made with a sweetened cream that has been thickened with gelatin. A traditional custard is different because custard uses egg yolks as a thickener instead.

I used dried, unsweetened and unsulphured apricots that were quickly softened in boiling water.  I might even suggest that substituting soft and pitted Medjool dates would work well.  I like that even without additional sugars, the panna cotta is delicate and mild.



Apricot Milk Panna Cotta


  • 8-10 dried, unsweetened apricots (plus one thinly sliced for garnish, optional - I found these at Costco)
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 13.5 ounce can full-fat coconut milk + enough water to make 2 cups of liquid
  • 1 tablespoon raw honey (or more to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons grass-fed gelatin

In a bowl, add the apricots and boiling water.  Soak the fruit for 2-5 minutes, or until softened; drain well.

In a blender jar, place the coconut milk, honey, vanilla and salt.  Blend briefly to combine the ingredients.

Add the softened apricots to the blender jar and blend until only a few specks of apricot remain. With the blender running on a low setting, carefully remove the lid and slowly sprinkle in the powdered gelatin.  Blend for another 30 seconds.

Divide the mixture between four 4-ounce ramekins and place the dishes in the refrigerator for 2 hours, or until the panna cotta is set.  Serve chilled.

**The panna cotta base can be churned into ice cream, rather than pouring into individual ramekins! Pour apricot milk into a chilled ice cream maker base and following manufacturer instructions on the machine to make ice cream.



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