Coconut Cream from Scratch(naturally-sweetened)

I’ve been making my own coconut cream for about a month now and let me tell you, folks. It’s a total game changer. Sure, you can buy cans of coconut cream but those have  nothing on this homemade version, not to mention that you’ll pay for one tiny can of cream just as much as the cost to make 3 cups worth of this better tasting, better textured version. You can make this coconut cream sweetened or unsweetened(just leave out the dates and vanilla), but the sweetened version is incredible served with a bowl of berries, or on top of just about any dessert. It reminds me of vanilla ice cream. Its silky smooth, melts in your mouth, and has just the perfect amount of sweetness thanks to my favorite natural sweetener as of late, Medjool dates.

Are you convinced yet?

The process is simple, though it does require a high speed blender and a slightly unusual ingredient: Sunflower Lecithin. This  secret ingredient keeps the fat from solidifying into a hard mass so that the cream is smooth and luscious. I keep a bottle in my pantry always as it is something I use for coconut milks and raw desserts. One bottle will last a good long time. This is the kind I have been using:

Update – Many of you have said the link to the sunflower lecithin is not working – The brand I use is Now Foods Sunflower Liquid Lecithin, 16 Ounce

You can use any kind of date to sweeten this cream, but I prefer medjool. Since they are usually softer and less tough than other dates, they blend into the cream more easily and don’t leave little pieces floating around.

You can use this cream like you would any whipped cream, but stay tuned because I have an amazing super clean dessert that uses it coming up soon!

Coconut Cream from Scratch(naturally-sweetened)

 

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Serves: 3 cups Coconut Cream

Ingredients

• 8 cups Unsweetened Flaked Coconut, packed
• 7 Medjool Dates, pits removed
• 1 tablespoon Vanilla
• 2 teaspoons Sunflower Lecithin
• Hot Water

Instructions

1. Place the dates, vanilla, and sunflower lecithin in the base of a high speed blender. Add the coconut to the blender, patting down slightly to level.
2. Pour hot water into the blender until it just covers the coconut.
3. Cover with the lid and let sit for 20 minutes.
4. Blend the coconut and water, slowly working your way up to high speed, for 2 minutes.
5. Pour the mixture into a nutmilk bag placed inside a large bowl.
6. Squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the bag and into the bowl. Discard the solids(or save for smoothies, cookies, breads, etc).
7. Pour the liquid into a large glass container(I use to glass quart jars).. You should have about 6 cups of liquid, total. Cover the jars and set in the fridge.
8. Let the jars sit in the refrigerator for 3 days, untouched. Over the course of those three days, the water is going to separate out of the coconut milk and the thick cream is going to collect on top. At the end of three days you will have jars that are half water(on the bottom), and half cream(on the top).
9. Scoop the cream off the top and use as desired. Discard water.
10. Keep cream refrigerated and use within a few days.

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