02 Mar Avocado Coconut Pudding
This silky, citrus-spiked pudding was inspired by an avocado coconut sorbet once served with a piña colada soufflé at Gotham Bar and Grill. With a creamy, luscious texture and sharp, refreshing flavor, it’s an indulgent treat for all avocado lovers.
6-8 servings
Ingredients
For the pudding:
1 small ripe avocado
½ teaspoon lime juice
1 cup milk
1 cup coconut milk
½ vanilla bean
1 teaspoon orange zest
Pinch of nutmeg
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
3 egg yolks
½ teaspoon salt
For the orange chips:
1 orange
½ cup water
½ cup sugar
For the whipped cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup unsweetened desiccated coconut, toasted
Equipment
6-8 small ramekins or bowls
Electric mixer
Fine mesh sieve
Flat baking sheet
Handheld immersion blender or food processor
Mandolin or sharp straight-edged knife
Nonstick baking mat
Rubber spatula or wooden mixing spoon
Whisk
Preparation
Prepare the pudding:
Purée the avocado with ½ teaspoon lime juice using either a hand-held immersion blender or a food processor. Place the avocado purée, ¾ cup milk, coconut milk, vanilla bean, orange zest, nutmeg, and ½ cup sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let steep for 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, blend the remaining sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks with the other ¼ cup of milk to form a smooth paste. Carefully temper the simmering milk mixture into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to make sure not to shock the eggs. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon for about 2-3 minutes, until the miture beings to thicken, but does not come to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for another minute until fully thickened.
Strain the pudding through a fine mesh sieve and then pour into 6-8 small ramekins or bowls. Put plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent formation of a skin. Refrigerate until chilled, and serve the pudding within two days.
Prepare the orange chips:
Prepare a flat baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat. Preheat the oven to the lowest temperature possible, about 175° F.
Cut off both ends of the orange. Using either a mandolin or a very sharp straight-edge knife, slice the orange as thinly as possible. Combine the water and sugar in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and place the orange slices into the syrup, tossing to coat. Drain the syrup through a colander or sieve, and carefully lay each orange slice about ½ inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and leave the door closed until the chips are completely dry and crisp, about 2-3 hours. Remove from the oven, let cool and then carefully remove from the baking sheet.
Prepare the whipped cream:
Place the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla in a well-chilled bowl. Using either a handheld electric mixer or a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream until stiff peaks form.
[Chef’s Note: The whipped cream should be prepared as close to service as possible, but can be safely stored in the refrigerator for about 1 hour until you are ready to serve.]
Service
Remove the plastic from the tops of each pudding. Place a dollop of whipped cream in the center of each pudding and sprinkle with toasted coconut. Garnish with an orange chip and enjoy!
Variations
After cooking the pudding, pour into ice cube or Popsicle molds and freeze for a frosty pudding pop treat.
Recipe and photo by Monica Glass