I came up with this recipe while visiting a friend in Singapore. I wanted to highlight some amazingly sweet Thai mangos, Australian apricots and Malaysian passion fruit I’d found at the wet market. Think of this as a deconstructed fruit crisp. You can use whatever combination of fruit you’d like, but I love the tropical fruit & ginger with the coconut. It makes me feel like I’m on a beach somewhere…like Thailand or Australia. And the best part? The whipped coconut cream is a healthy, dairy-free alternative to whipped cream! Forget Cool Whip which is full of toxic fats and stabilizers. Coconut cream is full of healthy fats that boost metabolism and restore gut health. Sign me up!! This is a really fun & interactive dessert for a party. Making this on a week night? Substitute toasted coconut (or another flavor) of granola for the crumble for an even quicker sweet fix.
Recipe: Whipped Coconut Cream Parfait with Tropical Fruit Salad & Toasted Coconut Crumble (Vegan + Gluten-Free)
Ingredients:
For the coconut whipped cream:
2 cans full-fat coconut milk (look for BPA-free cans like Whole Food’s 365 brand)
3 TBSP unbleached cane sugar or honey
For the fruit:
1 pineapple, diced
2 mangoes, diced
1 large papaya, diced
1-2″ knob fresh ginger, peeled
1/4 c candied ginger, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
For the crumble:
2 c rolled oats, separated
1/3 c coconut sugar
1/4 c coconut oil
2 TBSP honey
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 c coconut flakes
*You can substitute coconut granola for the crumble for an even quicker dessert fix!
Instructions:
For the coconut whipped cream:
Put the cans of coconut milk in the refrigerator over night or for at least 8 hours until completely chilled. This allows the coconut cream to separate from the liquid. When ready to make, scoop the coconut cream into a bowl, and either using a hand mixer or counter mixer, whip the cream until fluffy and no lumps remain. Beat in the sugar and any other flavoring you’re using. If adding coconut flakes, fold them in with a rubber spatula after you’re finished beating it.
For the fruit:
In a large bowl, combine fruit. Using a microplane or grater, grate ginger into the fruit. Add candied ginger and mix well. Taste fruit and add more ginger as desired. Allow to macerate for a few hours or overnight.
For the Crumble:
Preheat oven to 325°. Put coconut flakes on a sheet pan and toast for about 5-10 minutes until lightly golden. Watch this – it goes from pale to dark very quickly! Let cool and remove from pan.
In a food processor, pulse 1 1/2 cups of the oats until a fine meal forms. Add sugar, coconut oil, honey & sea salt and mix until well combined. Add remaining 1/2 cup of oats and pulse until incorporated but still chunky. Using your fingers, crumble the mixture in big chunks onto your sheet pan in an even layer. Bake for 10 minutes, stir, then return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Let crumble cool and then stir in toasted coconut flakes. Break up any large chunks of crumble.
*Crumble lasts pretty much forever, stored at room temperature in a air-tight container or BPA free ziplock bag.
Assembly:
You pick the vessels and you pick the order! You can start with fruit, then pile on the cream & top with the crumble, or top with cream and garnish with candied ginger or coconut flakes. Or dump everything into a large bowl and have everyone gather around with a spoon.
Additional uses for the whipped coconut cream:
Fruit Dip – I like clementine segments & strawberries)
Atop hot chocolate
Dolloped on a fruit crisp or pie
Eaten straight out of the bowl with a spoon
Additional add-ins to the whipped coconut cream:
1/4 c toasted coconut flakes
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla beans
1 tsp fresh ginger or cinnamon
1-2 TBSP cacao powder
Fresh raspberries (mix them in with the electric mixer and they’ll turn the whole mixture a pretty pink!
Atop my Key Lime Pie Bars
*Note: Store any leftover whipped cream in the refrigerator but it will harden. Re-whip when ready to use again.
A (mostly) Healthy Blog 
[…] paper. Lift the bars out of the pan onto a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares. Decorate with whipped coconut cream & fresh fruit if […]
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