Coconut custard?

[WCchopper]

I'm looking into making a dairy free custard and was wondering about the possibility of using coconut milk and cream as a sub for milk. Any first- hand experience, pointers, cautions, etc?

[rockycat]

I've made non-dairy "pastry cream" very successfully using canned coconut milk. I can't see why it wouldn't work for custard.

[Morganna]

I like replacing milk in hot cocoa with coconut milk (the light stuff, the full fat is too thick, makes it more like a mousse, which is good, too, but harder to drink).

[rikjog]

can I get the recipe for the "pastry cream"?

Thanks

[chef chicklet]

Sure you can. Another way is to add tapioca, love this stuff!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chocolat...

[Morganna]

If you want it to be dairy free, you can't use cream at all. Cream is a dairy product.

I often substitute coconut milk, a combination of both whole coconut milk and low fat (or lite) coconut milk. Then I use whisked whole eggs to provide the firming up. I add splenda (you could use sugar), and unsweetened coconut and bake it in a hot water bath until it's firm.

[WCchopper]

I actually meant coconut milk and coconut cream

[Morganna]

Okie, I should have assumed that, I suppose. :) Sorry, I'm a programmer, I can be very literal-minded. :)

[mollyomormon]

I had a Puerto Rican friend growing up who shared this dessert recipe for coconut custard called Tembleque that we absolutely loved for my mom to prepare. not sure if this was the exact recipe but something close to this:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Tembleque-d...

[alkapal]

i think it sounds great. very rich!
recipes looks easy enough: http://www.recipezaar.com/288
http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-archive/49/261467.shtml

i think a water bath might be wise....

the recipe/presentation on this blog looks quite appealing! http://cookalmostanything.blogspot.co...
(scroll down a wee bit...)

[WCchopper]

Nice, thanks a lot!

[alkapal]

yeah, wc, didn't that sweet little custard with syrup look like Da Bomb?!?

[WCchopper]

Next question, where do I get the palm sugar??? I want to make that!

[alkapal]

it is used in sri lanka, south indian, se asian cooking. indian or thai/viet grocery? i've gotten it in a phillipine grocery, too.

while no substitute exactly, for sweetness light brown sugar can be used in a pinch. flavor-wise, it is obviously unique, and would be optimal in the recipe, but the coconut is already very rich and sweet on its own. would palm sugar be the element that makes it a "wow" vs. a "very good" in this dish, i don't know. but i'd make it anyway, even if i had to sub light brown or turbinado sugar.