This is for all of us who live in places where not everything is available and struggle to find it, prefer our food from scratch, and control what goes in it.
Coconut cream is delicious and is called for in many recipes, from bread to cocktails; this product is used for so many things and is such a delicious addition to so many dishes. I love using it as syrup in french toast. If you haven’t tried it, you NEED to!
I’m from Puerto Rico, the island that gave birth to the famous Piña Colada, and we use this in so many recipes, especially during holidays. Since Thanksgiving, we get ready with coquito and tembleque; many of us living far from the island can’t find coconuts or the good quality coconut cream we are used to. I’m ready to make my coquito, so I thought sharing my recipe might help a lot when we can’t find good coconut cream in the supermarket or those who need to control the sugar content since the premade ones have a really significant amount of sugar. The more sugar you put in, the faster it thickens. When choosing coconut milk, check the ingredients; it should not be diluted with water, and the only ingredients should be coconut milk and the stabilizers. You can always use fresh if you are lucky to have them available but depending on the water content is how long it will take to reduce and get thick. It is super easy to make and only takes a few minutes and two ingredients, and trust me; it beats any canned coconut cream you can buy at the store. Make sure to watch the video for visual reference since is the best way to know when it is done.
Ingredients:
Coconut milk
Sugar
Method:
In a medium saucepan, put the same amount of coconut milk and sugar. Let’s say I’m using 2 cups of coconut milk, which means I have 2 cups of sugar as well; this is why I didn’t put the amount because you can decide how much you want to make; you just need equal parts.
Mix the ingredients together and bring to a boil for approx. 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly.
After a few minutes, you will see how it thickens, and you can lift a string of cream with a whisk; that’s when you know it is ready. *Watch the video for visual reference since it is the best way to know when it’s ready.
Let cool down in the saucepan, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Now you are ready to make tembleque, coquito, or anything with cream of coconut!
Enjoy!