Mom's Coconut Pots de Crème

topped with Rum Stewed Prunes (or any dried fruit appealing to you).

My mom and best friend, Eva, never cooked much, but she baked often – mostly cakes. I guess that's where I inherited my passion from. She now lives by the beach on the northeast coast of Brazil and spends her retirement days soaking up more sun than she should (and drinking more caipirinhas than she should, too, but good for her!). I doubt she comes near the stovetop to cook anything these days, as I'm constantly receiving photos via WhatsApp of the restaurants she's visited and the new flavors of this part of Brazil she's been exploring.

Recently, she formally informed me that, from now on, she only eats cakes baked by other people and only on other people's birthdays. "Why should I bother baking and doing the dishes afterward—for myself only—when I can just be going to dancing parties with my new friends every day?" I wish I had inherited this ability to turn the kitchen switch off from her, too.

I suppose her golden years in the kitchen are now gone, but I have a feeling that her most fun days since my dad left us have just started.

I woke up missing her tremendously today and wishing we could magically be close for a second (and for a super tight hug). We FaceTimed for about two hours this morning, catching up on how things are going well for her and making plans for my trip to Brazil in July, which makes me so excited to think about and brings me peace of mind that things are going well for me, too.

Then I decided I wanted to cook something that reminded me of her, although I had other plans for today's post.

Whenever I think of how my mom enjoys eating, I think of simple, clean flavors. No fuss, minimal ingredients, no time to waste. That's why I made her Coconut Pots de Crème. These unpretentious little cups of custard/pudding/flan are to be served warm, with plenty of stewed dried fruit on top. As you glide the spoon into the velvety custard, the fruity syrup bejewels the whole thing. It makes for a creamy, rich, and unforgettable spoonful.

Traditional Pots de Crème, invented in France, are made with eggs or at least egg yolks. My mom's version is not, so feel free to adapt this recipe's title if you feel I'm acting too revolutionary. My mom's recipe is based on a Brazilian pudding called Manjar de Coco (with Portuguese & Middle-Eastern influences) that uses almost the same ingredients in different proportions and is beautifully set in a mold.

Photo credit & recipe here

Growing up, this was my mom's go-to recipe for any impromptu need for dessert, whether it was unannounced friends (which is so common in my culture), a busy weekend, or a quick fix for a sweet tooth. Not that I believe a sweet tooth can ever be cured.

Back in the day, she also transformed these into cake fillings, sometimes mixing chopped prunes into the crème itself and other times just intercalating crème and prunes between the layers. The leftover rum-flavored syrup was used to soak the sponge, which made it taste like a cake fit for adults. 10-year-old Jaíne loved being allowed to eat a small slice of it.

For this recipe, I used sweetened condensed milk, but it could easily be swapped for sugar to make a dairy-free treat. It's also gluten-free, as cornstarch is the thickening agent. However, I've learned that some people find the texture of cooked cornstarch to be a little bit glutinous. If that bothers you, substitute it with all-purpose flour for a creamier texture minus the gloopiness. Fortunately, it doesn't bother me.

Mom passes her crème through a strainer to get rid of any lumps. I don't. I find that whisking it properly (and vigorously) does the job, but you can decide. She also uses only prunes in the fruit stew, which I love because the prunes get softer in the center, soaked in rum, while holding their shape, yielding a good bite. I used a mix of prunes, cherries, cranberries, and golden raisins only because I could get the correct amount, as stated in the recipe, by using the leftovers in a bunch of little dried fruit bags.

These are also wonderfully easy to make ahead, but they would have to be served cold. If you'd like to try it this way, make sure to cover it with plastic film in contact to avoid the thin little skin naturally created on the surface of custards.

Although I love this combination of coconut and prunes, I also think this coconut custard could pair well with a refreshing raspberry coulis (particularly in spring), a generous spoonful of orange peel marmalade, or even a dark chocolate sauce. There's so much room for creativity here!

I hope you had a chance to cook/eat something delicious today, but I mostly hope you had a chance to bear hug your mom and tell her how much you love her.

While I didn't have that opportunity, being in the kitchen with her recipe, felt almost as comforting.

Merci,

J

Mom in her new Brazilian home ❤️

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Coconut Pots de Crème with Rum-Stewed Dried Fruit

Makes 4 to 6

Ingredients for the custard:

1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat pure coconut milk (I like Trader Joe's)

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (I like La Lechera)

3 tbsp cornstarch

1 vanilla bean pod (optional)

Ingredients for the fruit stew:

1 1/2 packed cups of prunes or mixed dried fruit

1 cup of dark rum (or water)

1/2 cup of water

3 tbsp granulated sugar or honey

1 stick of cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract (optional)

How to make it:

1. In a heavy small saucepan, combine the sweetened condensed milk, half of the coconut milk, and the vanilla bean pod, if using. In the other half of the coconut milk still in the can, whisk in the cornstarch to dilute, then pour it into the saucepan with the other ingredients.

2. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and whisk for about 5 minutes, until the mixture thickens completely. Be attentive as it thickens and burns quickly, so keep the heat adequately tamed.

3. With a ladle, pour the custard into small cups or a big bowl to serve family-style (do it however you'd like). Let it set at room temperature while you make the sauce.

4. In another heavy small saucepan, combine the dried fruit, rum (or water), water, sugar or honey, and cinnamon stick. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally and watching it carefully as the alcohol burns.

5. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the fruit has softened and the liquid starts to look syrupy.

6. Remove from heat and immediately add the vanilla extract.

7. Spoon the warm fruit sauce over the little pots de crème and serve right away.

Bon appétit!