My friends are amazing people. They’re always on the lookout for me, finding restaurants or eating experiences or story ideas as well as finding treasures to cook with. One of my longest standing friends is Queen Viv, a woman who terrified me at our first meeting 15 years ago such was her regal demeanor. Soon after I realised what a genuine, warm person she was, and still is. She, along with Miss America often accompany my husband and I on our eating adventures and they’re always willing to give things a go. Queen Viv raised her son who happens to be about my age the same way. Indeed when we went to Uighur Cuisine, he and I were the ones eager to try the Lungs much to everyone else’s horror.
I digress, the reason why I’m speaking of Queen Viv is because after our recent jaunt to a restaurant one evening, we retired to her house to partake of some gorgeous Coconut & Vanilla Pannacottas with Grilled fresh figs. It was deliciously voluptuous and creamy and my husband scoffed down 2 of them. The lighting was a touch dark so a photograph of these was not possible but I sought to recreate them myself at home and she shared her recipe for them. Then after I’d finished copying down the recipe in my Moleskine, she produced the most gorgeous pannacotta moulds from her cupboards. She bought them at a market and I was instantly in love. She let me borrow them for cooking and I was eager to make these.
They’re fabulously simple, hardly requiring any cooking at all. The hardest bit is waiting for a couple of hours for them to set. They’re also dairy free for those of you who desire something deliciously creamy and who often have to forsake the gorgeously wobbly Pannacotta because of dietary issues. If you want to, you could leave out the coconut if you like that easy smooth texture or if you want to use the coconut, choose the texture you prefer. Obviously shredded coconut is less fine than dessicated. The coconut cream will make it more a white grey and if you need a pure white colour simply replace the coconut cream with 2 cups of cream and 1 cup of milk. And because these are gorgeously, tremblingly wobbly, don’t leave them out of the fridge too long in warm weather. Their delicate constitution will wither and melt and that would be something worth crying over.
Coconut & Vanilla Pannacotta with Grilled Fresh Fig Flowers
An original recipe by Not Quite Nigella
Makes 4 x 150ml or 6×100ml molds
- 565ml can of coconut cream
- 1/3 cup desicated or shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup caster sugar
- 2.5 gelatine leaves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean, sliced lengthways, seeds scraped out
- 2 Figs per person
- 1 teaspoon raw or turbinado sugar per person
- oil or oil spray for greasing the Pannacotta moulds
Removing the softened gelatine leaves from the cold water
1. Place gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes to soften. Place vanilla, coconut cream, sugar and coconut into a sauce and heat gently until sugar has dissolved (do not boil). Remove from heat. Remove gelatine leaves from water squeezing out excess moisture and stir gelatine into creamy mixture throughly. Allow flavours to infuse for 15 minutes.
The Pannacotta mix
2. Meanwhile, oil some pannacotta moulds and clear space in your fridge for the pannacottas.
3. Pour creamy mixture into the moulds and refrigerate for 2 hours until set.
Set Pannacotta, after I’ve run a knife around the edge to loosen it
4. When set, run a thin knife around the edges and unmould onto your serving plate. If it proves stubborn, run the mould side under warm or hot water being careful not to wet the Pannacotta. This will definitely loosen it so be careful when inverting and press tightly against the plate and upturn.
Removing from the mould
Voila!
5. Cut figs into a flower shape by cutting an X across the top and carefully opening up the “petals” and drizzle some of the raw sugar on top. Blowtorch or grill the figs under a hot grill for a few minutes until softened. Place next to the plated Pannacotta and drizzle over any of the delicious fig sugar juice that results from the blowtorching adventure.
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35 Comments | Add your own
Those are so neat! I’m so impressed.
wow how nice I like your presentation and the panna cotta with figs is a super combination
Such a simple yet elegant dessert! Now I want some molds too!
Beautiful and sounds sooo good! I would eat two of those also
Love those molds!
Nice molds! I love coconut and coconut panacotta sounds so yummy!
Looks beautiful!
Those look very gorgeous and elegant. I also think the moulds are very cute!
That mold is very pretty! As are the fig flowers. Great presentation!
Lucky you to have a friend you can borrow those molds from.. and who recommends restaurants to you!
Personally, I think I would prefer my pannacotta to have a smooth texture, so I’d omit the shredded coconut.
ooh, how excitement just bought a blowtorch on the weekend and have been caramelising figs ever since (practicing!)
The figs look beautiful! I think I might keep this one in a recipe box for mothers day, she loves figs!
I like how you used gelatin leaves instead of powdered gelatin.
Yum – great presentation! I was really intrigued when I read fig flowers in the title as I didn’t think figs had flowers. Silly me. Oh – my bf’s mum makes a great coconut pannacotta too – served with mango and a wedge of lime. Tried that combo?
That looks so elegant! I think the combination of coconut and fig is sweetly exotic and I can imagine how well the grainy texture of the figs worked with the creamy voluptuousness of the panna cotta.
This is so gorgeous, I just love those molds!
I love the fig flowers – so cute! I’m definitely going to do that when they’re back in season here. And the speckling of vanilla beans is so tempting! The panna cotta looks really refreshing.
i love pannacotta. this looks so delicious. the colour is divine too, love coconut white colour with freckles.
This is a beautiful variation on pannacotta. The figs are a nice choice for summer. It’s time I got some figs, you’re making me jealous!
And where would one get these fabulous moulds? *coconut* mmmmm
Very beautiful! This looks like something I’d like to try out at a dinner party
Wow – I’ve been searching the web high and low for pannacotta recipes ever since gettng a complete set of dariole moulds for Xmas. Will definitely be trying this recipe!
GORGEOUS lorraine, very pretty. I’ve never had much luck with turning the panna cotta out of it’s mold!! Those molds are enviable. What a great & unique recipe too. Hope the DH got 2 to scoff down this time as well…
MMMMMMMM…Lorraine! This looks so yumie:)!!
Looks gorgeous! The fig flowers look so pretty!
Hi Blond Duck-Thankyou so much! I think anything would look good in these moulds
Hi snookydoodle-Thanks!
I take every change to eat figs 
Hi Barbara -I find pannacotta one of those fabulously easy desserts that thankfully needs to be made ahead of time
I want these moulds too but alas I must give them back 
Hi 5 Star Foodie-Hehe thanks! They were very moreish
Hi yaelian-Thanks, I wish I had some moulds of my own
Hi Kathy-Thankyou!
Hi. Anita-Thanks so much
I can imagine making so many things with these!
Hi Y-She let me borrow some other ones too which I need to make up into something befitting their beauty.
Hi Reemski-It’s fun isn’t it!
Hi Jessica-Oh yes, it’s perfect for Mothers Day then!
I am addicted to using the leaves hehe
Hi. Forager-Thankyou! Hehe I was wondering if anyone would think that they were actual flowers (I think they have leaves though but no flowers). I’m sure the mango would go great with the coconut. Sounds fabulous!
Hi Midge-Thanks so smuch! Yes I think both the textures are great and the different sweetness levels also works
Hi Sara -Thankyou! Me too, I’ll ask her to leave them to me in her will
Hi anna-Thanks!
I always find comfort to see vanilla bean specks in a vanilla item. It seems to have something missing otherwise! 
Hi reddoorread-Me too
I love it when it’s nice and wobbly. Thankyou!
Hi Arwen-Thanks!
Definitely get some, they’re so nice and reasonably priced now. They’re everywhere (I only wish the season lasted for longer)
Hi Karen-I wihs I knew! She bought them at a market so I’;m afraid there’s no shop to mention
Hi Alexandra-It’s really perfect for a dinner party actually!
Hi Damien-Oh fabulous! Great timing. Please let me know what you think of it if you make it
Hi deeba-Thankyou so much
If you brush the mould with oil that really helps and running the other side under hot water really loosens it up too 
He did, actually 3 of them! 
Hi Sophie-Thankyou very much!
Hi Pigpigscorner-Thanks, and the bonus is that they’re easy and fun to do!
I was going to ask you how to grill a fig since I read these foodblogger eating blue cheese + grilled fig. Seem I don’t have to ask you. It is the similar way thing as blow torching creme brulee toffee top rite?
I saw a green fig in local fruit market. The supermarket’s fig usually already got blacked. Is the green one is the best buy worth waiting until ripe or the blacked one?
My goodness, that looks so fresh, Lorraine! I love panna cotta but haven’t had any in ages. And also love figs. This dessert is right up my alley, darling!
Wow, we can only make this if we put on our fancy pants! The fig flower is a great ornament.
Wow that panna cotta looks so creamy and delicious. I love how perfectly white the coconut cream makes it.
Hi Lilia-Yes grilled figs and blue cheese are amazing together. Just sprinkle with sugar and blowtorch! I prefer black figs as the skin is a bit thinner and therefore you can tell if they are luscious a bit easier. But of course I’ll eat both! The green doesn’t turn colour, it’s green when it’s ripe. The best way to tell is if it feels light, it’s not a good one. If it feels heavy that’s good.
Hi Patricia-Wonderful! I bet you can’t wait for fig season (much like me every year
)
Hi The Duo Dishes-Aww but it’s really easy! For those times when you want to appear like you’ve done a lot but haven’t
Hi Marc-Thanks so much! It’s very moreish, a bit too much so
delightful. it looks so pure and pristine, and knowing that it’s coconut thrills me. also, i still have yet to eat a flower.
Oh yum. I should NOT read your blog when I’m hungry!
This is so simple to make it and looks & sounds so fantastic! Thanks for the recipe
Hi grace-haha well it’s not strictly a flower but it’s close in shape!
Hi Fuji Mama-hehe sorry!
Hi suesse-mahlzeit-Yes it is, and I love simple things. You’re more than welcome!
Hi Lorraine,
I just bough a titanium-strength gelatine leaves (was intrigued by the gelatine’s name from Vogue magazine). However, my friend said that gelatine will smell. How to reduce the smell? I haven’t try the gelatine leaves, bought it from The Essential Ingredient.
Hi Lilia-Gelatine does have a bit of a smell but it won’t impart much of one on your jelly, not with the other flavours
Wauw, amazing, Perfectly done. It’s like a fairytale dish. Gorgeous, thank you.
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