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Tapioca Passion Fruit Coconut Parfaits

6 servings

Tina Wong, The Wandering Eater, Adapted from Martha Stewart

    • 2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 1 piece of peeled fresh ginger (1 1/2 inches), cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
    • 1 3/4 tsp. unflavored gelatin
    • 3/4 cup plus 1 tsp. sugar
    • 5 green cardamom pods
    • 10 whole black peppercorns
    • 1 fresh bay leaf
    • 3 1/2 cups whole milk
    • 1/2 cup large pearl tapioca
    • 1/2 cup The Perfect Purée Passion Fruit Concentrate,  thawed
    • 1/2 cup water (mix with Passion Fruit Concentrate to create juice)
Method:
1. Bring 1 cup coconut milk and the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove from heat, and add ginger. Cover, and let steep 30 minutes. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a clean medium saucepan; discard ginger.
2. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon gelatin over 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl, and let stand 2 minutes to soften. Whisk gelatin mixture and 1/4 cup sugar into coconut-milk mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar and gelatin have dissolved. Pour 1/2 cup panna cotta into each of six glasses. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 1/2 hours.
3. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 teaspoon gelatin over Passion Fruit and water juice mixture in a small saucepan; let stand 2 minutes to soften. Whisk in 1 teaspoon sugar. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until gelatin and sugar have dissolved. Pour through a fine sieve into a glass measuring cup; let cool, about 10 minutes. Pour 3 tablespoons gelée into each glass. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 1/2 hours.
4. In a separate saucepan or pot, boil a pot of water and cook and simmer your large tapioca pearls. Cook the pearls, stirring them often, until they are tender yet slightly chewy, about 50-75 minutes. (It would be less cooking time if you use smaller tapioca pearls.) Once this is cooked, drain and set aside.
5. Tie cardamom, peppercorns, and bay leaf in a square of cheesecloth to make a bouquet garni. Bring whole milk and remaining cup coconut milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add bouquet garni and remaining 1/2 cup sugar, bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring for 15 to 20 minutes. When the liquid is reduced slightly, add the cooked tapioca. Continue to cook, stirring often, until tapioca pearls are tender, 10 to 20 minutes. Discard the bouquet garni. Cover tapioca; let cool to room temperature, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
6. Just before serving, if you prefer a thinner tapioca, stir in up to 1/2 cup milk. Divide tapioca among glasses over gelée. Optional: Halve passion fruits, and spoon pulp and seeds over each parfait.