Happy-Happy-Joy-Joy in a Bowl

Thanks to all my mom’s research into this drupe, we’re loco for coconuts. Almost every part of the coconut is tremendously healthy. Virgin coconut oil’s fatty acids are native to skin, it’s excellent at helping to repair the skin’s barrier layer and for replacing lost lipids — making it an unrivaled moisturizer. It’s rich in anti-inflammatories, heart healthy and cholesterol-free. Its excellent as a sport drink (with none of the dyes or preservatives of many typical energy drinks) and more potassium than bananas. At VMV HYPOALLERGENICS, we use my mother’s clinically-published virgin coconut oil in almost all our products — and we use it in cooking, too! This recipe for Spiced Coconut Cups was created by Luis Terry, one of our dearest friends and one of VMV’s most popular (scrumptious) faces :). He’s also an executive chef and culinary R&D consultant, sought after for his insanely delicious and highly imaginative Spanish-Middle Eastern-Southeast Asian cuisine. This dessert is comfort, warmth and fun. Creamy custard is traditional enough to be comfort food…but add the unexpected cheer of coconut and cheek of spices, and it’s happy-happy-joy-joy in a bowl.

– Laura

WHAT YOU’LL NEED: Serves 8

• 1 3-inch piece of cassia bark or 2 cinnamon sticks 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 120 g. muscovado (raw brown sugar) or brown sugar; my family uses coconut sugar instead
• 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp. (100 ml.) water
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. whole cloves
• 2 tbs. Know-It-Oil virgin coconut oil
• 10 oz. (300ml) half-and-half 13.5 oz. (400 ml.) coconut milk 2 egg yolks

HOW:

Combine spices, half-and-half and water in a medium pan. Bring to a light simmer then reduce heat to a minimum for approximately 5 minutes allowing the spices to infuse their flavors. Add coconut milk and sugar to the pan and heat until sugar is fully dissolved. Set aside to cool.

Whisk whole eggs, yolks and Know-It-Oil until smooth and pour slowly, but in a steady stream, into the cooled milk mixture. Once combined, strain custard through a fine sieve into a pitcher and discard spices.

Preheat oven to 325. Pour the custard mixture into 8 individual ramekins and place them in a deep baking dish filled with boiling water. Make sure the water level reaches 3⁄4 up the sides. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Poke the center of one of the custards with a toothpick or a knife to check if it has set. The custards should only be slightly wobbly in the middle. Serve hot or very chilled, with a dab of clotted cream or kaymak and a sprinkle of toasted grated coconut.

#skinsideouthealth