“Golden milk” coconut panna cotta

So everyone’s going crazy for the mythical-sounding “golden milk” at the moment and I want in on the action!

Golden milk aka turmeric milk is by no means a new invention – it’s been doing the rounds in Indian Ayurvedic medicine for centuries as the hot milk drink haldi doodh – and it’s health properties are renowned. The magical ingredient? Turmeric is full of curcumin, a bright-yellow* substance that is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory (check out my refreshing sunshine anti-inflammatory smoothie here). It can even help to prevent cancer, detoxify our liver, and reduce LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol. Worth a try, right?

The world has already gone gaga for frothy golden milk lattes so I thought I would put myself out there with something more playful and unusual – turmeric dessert! Indulgently rich and creamy, and mildly spiced with fresh turmeric juice and cardamom, this panna cotta is the perfect pudding and more than a little bit good for you.

I have used coconut milk instead of cream, and agar flakes instead of gelatin (a derivative of sea vegetables rather than pig tummies – much cooler for us and the little piggies), making it dairy-free and completely vegan – which is pretty unbelievable when you taste it’s wibbly creaminess.

*Warning: wear gloves when grating the turmeric unless you want to rock the jaundiced look (I don’t think I’m pulling it off tbh)…

“Golden milk” coconut panna cotta

Ingredients:

Serves 4

8 green cardamom pods, split open and seeds harvested
400g can full fat coconut milk (you can use light but it will be less creamy)
10g fresh turmeric, peeled and finely grated
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons agar flakes (I use Clearspring)

Method:

Crush the cardamom seeds with a pestle and mortar.

In a small saucepan, gently heat all the ingredients other than the agar flakes on a medium heat, stirring regularly, until it reaches a gentle boil.

Sprinkle over the agar flakes and simmer for a few minutes, stirring as you go, until the flakes are fully dissolved.

Strain through a sieve and pour into 4 ramekins. Give them a gentle tap to get rid of any air bubbles and allow to set in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving.

Tip: If turning out (rather than serving in the pot), gently pull the panna cotta away from the edge of the ramekin with your finger to break the seal and then dip in a shallow bowl of warm water for a few seconds before turning out.