Alright, part 4 in our Let's talk coconut series and today is all about coconut milk/cream/creamers. So rich, creamy, full of yummy flavour, and an excellent replacement for dairy. As you can see in the pic above, coconut milk comes in three different formats. First is in cans, these canned coconut milks can vary by also being found in tetra packs, for those who prefer not using canned items. Exact same thing just in a tetra pak. Coconut milk has two varieties, the one that is sweeter and specifies for desserts, (although if in a pinch it's quite fine to use for savoury applications) then there is the one for cooking that is great for soups, starters, mains, and side dishes. They do usually specify on the cans, when they don't, I have found that it's not a problem to use for either or.
Now, what is in the cans is not to be confused with coconut cream. Got that? Coconut milk and coconut cream are different. Both come in canned forms but the cream is much thicker, like waaaaaaaaay thicker. When making coconut whipping cream, I prefer the coconut milk, very well chilled. I will blog a recipe for that in an upcoming post, today is just information. Coconut cream is something I use in more acidic based dishes, like a curry that has a tomato base. Why? Because I do not want it to curdle and coconut cream holds up better for the task, than its milky counter part.
Be warned that it is quite common for coconut cream to become thick and harden a bit in the cans, the liquid seperates from the fats, it's still good to use but make sure it has not gone off. No funky colours or smells, just clean coconut creaminess that may need whisking in. There is also this delightful coconut creamer that has come out on the market by So Delicious, which is a perfect replacement for regular coffee cream. I like it in my tea because it's not a super strong coconut flavour that drowns the tea taste away, and what I appreciate the most about it is that it does not curdle like regular milk alternatives do when I put them in my tea. Yuck! Nothing worse than curdled almond milk from the acids and tannens in tea, that you were all excited to enjoy.
I highly recommend that you give it a try, I prefer the plain version. Having been forced to buy the vanilla one when the store was out of the regular flavour, I can honestly say, you better love you some serious vanilla flavour. It was too much for me and I could not drink it at all, so I stick to regular. Again, nobody has paid for me to endorse these products, I just like what I like and pass it on.
Back to coconut milk, this product can also be bought in powder form (see the envelope in the picture above), good for adding some creaminess to a dessert like pie/pudding or soup/stew when you do not want it to become runny but are still looking to give the dish a nice added flavour profile.
These are not to be confused with coconut water, (seen in the pic below) which is lovely but really not the same at all. If you want to know more about coconut water then check out previous coconut posts in this series.
Now, can coconut cream be used to replace all dairy whipped cream in any and all recipes? I am going to give you the Chef answer & the home cook answer.
Chef answer: No, not for all.
Why? : Because in certain applications, the coconut smell and taste cover the delicate or mild flavour of a food item.
Such as:
-Profiteroles, (choux paste puffs) particularly savoury ones with something like cucumber with dill or chive cream cheese and whipped cream mousse.
-Sweet profiteroles with strawberries and basil.
-Crêpes Romanoff, crêpes with strawberry and vodka folded in whipped cream.
-Lemon vanilla cake with stabilized lavender whipped cream
This is just to name a few, I am not saying that it can't be done, I am saying it should not be done.
Chef's are very concerned with balancing flavours, ingredients being allowed to shine through, not masking delicate aromas, and allowing taste buds to marvel at the layers of ingredients that pop or let themselves be known subtly. It may sound snobbish but that would be dismissive and a misunderstanding. We Chef's are a picky lot, we are temperamental, and take great pride in creating a culinary experience. And we mean it when we call it a culinary experience, it's not just eating, you can eat at home. You go out to a restaurant or catered event, expecting to be wowed and you are correct. We Chef's know that food is more than what you put in your body to sustain yourself. We eat with our eyes firstly, then our nose, through touch/tactile sensation when cutting or touching with a utensil, and lastly, through taste. This means a good/great Chef will always choose what works best to compliment the ingredients in a dish rather than sacrifice quality or standards.
Unfortunately, as wonderful and versatile as coconut can be, in this Chefs professional opinion, it is not a blanket food item that is easily interchangeable.
Now, for the home cook, you wonderful explorers and backbone of every beloved comfort food we all appreciate; the answer is different.
Yes, but with caution.
Why?:
-When we are home we all get stuck in a pinch, you just didn't check properly before starting a recipe, you are 3 tbsp shy of having enough, the ingredient was good last night but weirdly went off by lunch, you had it in the morning before you left work but someone ran out of regular creamer for their coffee and your last ingredient for your recipe fell victim to their needed hot bean water. (Cue banging of head against wall.)
-You have people with serious allergies to dairy in your home.
-You have people with severe illness, autoimmune problems, and they just can't handle dairy.
-You have a vegan coming over.
-You are a vegan.
-You can't stand the taste or mouth feel of dairy products. (I know you're out there and that's super cool because you are my special culinary challenge which I wholeheartedly accept!)
So, for those reasons above, and I am sure there are more I forgot, you NEED to use coconut milk as an alternative. I highly recommend it for things such as:
-Soups and stews
-Whipping cream for desserts that can stand up to the flavour. Make sure the people you are serving it to have no tree nut allergies and or like the coconut taste.
-Creamy milk shakes
-In Popsicles
-For salad dressings
-To use in some biscuit baking recipes
-For sauces, especially spicy one's that can blast your face off with their heat intensity. (figuratively people, not literally)
I am game to answer any coco nutty questions that may have struck while you read this or while musing alone.
That's all for coconut cream for today, I hope this was helpful for those who are new to these.
Keep checking back as I will be posting some scrumptious recipes that will use these yum scrum coconut ingredients in the very near future, until then, tell me about your coconut adventure in the comments section down below and don't forget to subscribe. Have a great day!
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