This quick and easy no bake dessert marries the creamy texture of classic panna cotta with the tropical flavors of fresh passion fruit and coconut.
The recipe is based on my mango panna cotta, but I had to adjust it to include slightly more agar-agar as passionfruit puree is not as thick as mango puree!
🧾 Ingredients
Here's what you need to make this fresh and creamy dessert from scratch:
Ingredient Notes
Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Passion Fruit: I recommend using fresh passion fruit, canned passionfruit often has added sugar which will throw off the recipe.
- Coconut Cream: This replaces the heavy cream usually used for panna cotta. Make sure you use coconut cream (not creamed coconut!). You can use full-fat canned coconut milk too, chill the can overnight and use only the thick cream from the top.
- Dairy-Free Milk: I use almond milk, but you can also use soy milk, oat milk, or coconut milk from a carton.
- Agar-Agar Powder: Make sure you use powder, not agar-agar flakes.
- Vanilla Extract: This adds another layer of flavor to the dessert, you can also use half a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste or a quarter teaspoon of vanilla seeds.
🔪 Instructions
Here are step-by-step images showing how to make this easy passionfruit panna cotta. The detailed printable recipe card is at the end of this page:
Step 1: Add the passion fruit pulp to a food processor and blitz for around 30 seconds, the juices will separate from the seeds.
Step 2: Press the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the passion fruit seeds.
Step 3: Add the passionfruit juice to a small saucepan with the non-dairy milk, sugar, and agar agar. Whisk well and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Step 4: Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the coconut cream. Return to the hob and gently heat over medium-low heat until the coconut has melted into the mixture - do not boil!
Step 5: Pass the panna cotta mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a heat-proof bowl or large jug.
Step 6: Divide between serving containers, I use five 8.5 cm x 7 cm panna cotta molds. You can also use cleaned empty yogurt containers or glass or ceramic bowls. Let the mixture cool slightly for 10 minutes, then cover with lids or plastic wrap. Place the filled molds in the fridge for 4 hours, or overnight if serving the next day.
Step 7: Remove the lids/plastic wrap and place a serving plate on top of the mold, carefully turn the plate over and remove them from their molds by gently pushing in the edges of the silicone mold, they should pop out after a little coaxing. If using ceramic or glass serving bowls, carefully run a knife around the sides first to help loosen the panna cotta from the edges.
Step 8: Pour passion fruit sauce over the top of the panna cotta and serve immediately.
💭 Expert Tips
Cut the tops off the passion fruit. Instead of slicing them in half, cut the top off to prevent the juices from flowing out everywhere.
Don't boil the mixture. This is very important after you've added the coconut milk, as boiling will cause it to split.
Serve in a passionfruit shell. Pour the mixture into the empty passion fruit skins and serve with a spoon!
Let the panna cotta set in the molds until just before serving.
💬 FAQs
No, panna cotta is generally not suitable for vegans or vegetarians. It is made using dairy cream and milk along with gelatin which is made from animal bones, cartilage, and skin!
My vegan version uses non-dairy milk, coconut cream, and agar agar, a vegetarian gelatin substitute derived from seaweed.
In theory, you could use another vegan setting agent such as vegeset or vege-gel which uses Carrageenan Moss, but I have not tried this so can't recommend the ratio needed.
🍈 More Passion Fruit Recipes
📖 Recipe
Description
Ingredients
Panna Cotta
- 160 g (⅔ cup) passion fruit pulp (without seeds), extracted from ~8-10 passion fruits *see note 1
- 240 ml (1 cup) almond milk, or soy milk/oat milk
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon agar-agar powder, *see note 2
- 240 g (1 cup) coconut cream, or chilled full-fat canned coconut milk *see note 3
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Passion Fruit Coulis (optional)
- 200 g (¾ cup + 2 tablespoons) passion fruit pulp (with seeds)
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed
Instructions
Panna Cotta
- Separate passionfruit juice and seeds: Add the passion fruit pulp to a food processor and blitz for around 30 seconds, the juices will separate from the seeds.
- Sift: Press the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the passion fruit seeds.
- Cook: Add the passionfruit juice to a small saucepan with the almond milk, sugar, and agar agar. Whisk well and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add flavors and cream: Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the coconut cream and vanilla extract. Return to the hob and gently heat over medium-low heat until the coconut has melted into the mixture - do not boil!
- Sift: Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a heat-proof bowl or large jug.
- Mold: Divide between serving containers, I use five 8.5 cm x 7 cm panna cotta molds. You can also use cleaned empty yogurt containers or glass or ceramic bowls.
- Set: Let the mixture cool slightly for 10 minutes, then cover with lids or plastic wrap. Place the filled molds in the fridge for 4 hours, or overnight if serving the next day.
Passion Fruit Coulis
- Add the passion fruit pulp, sugar, and lime juice to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, whisking regularly.Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Serving: Remove the lids/plastic wrap and place a serving plate on top of the mold, carefully turn the plate over and remove them from their molds by gently pushing in the edges of the silicone mold, they should pop out after a little coaxing. If using ceramic or glass serving bowls, carefully run a knife around the sides first to help loosen the panna cotta from the edges.
- Pour coulis over the panna cotta just before serving.
Notes
- Passion fruit pulp: I use 10 medium-large passion fruit, you may need more depending on the fruit.
- Agar-Agar Powder: Do not use agar flakes.
- Coconut Milk: Chill the coconut milk overnight, then only use the thick coconut cream from the top of the can.
Nutrition
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