Coconut Pudding with Raspberry Sauce

• Recipe by Carolina Buia and Isabel González

Buia says that when her mother was growing up in Caracas, Venezuela, it was common for the lady of the house to present this creamy coconut dessert at parties. Even though it's referred to here as a pudding, it has a texture similar to panna cotta.

Ingredients

1. 3/4 cup sifted cornstarch
2. 1/2 teaspoon salt
3. 3 cups cold milk
4. 3 cups unsweetened coconut milk
5. 2 cups plus 2 teaspoons sugar
6. 1 box raspberries (6 ounces)
7. 1 teaspoon raspberry liqueur
8. 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the cornstarch and salt. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the milk until smooth. In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining 2 cups of milk with the coconut milk and 2 cups of the sugar and bring to a simmer, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture and cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until very thick, about 6 minutes. Off the heat, whisk the custard for 1 minute. Let cool for 10 minutes. Spoon the custard into twelve 3/4-cup ramekins. Refrigerate until chilled and firm, at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. In a blender, puree the raspberries with the liqueur, lemon juice and the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar. Strain the puree through a fine sieve. Serve the coconut pudding with the raspberry sauce on top.

Make Ahead

The coconut pudding can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. The sauce can be refrigerated overnight.