Holiday Recipe: Vegan Coconut Cream

Easy, Dairy Free Whipped Cream Dessert Topping

This simple coconut whipped cream recipe was borrowed from the book 'Dairy Free Made Easy', by Alisa Marie Fleming of Go Dairy Free. For more info about Alisa's incredibly useful reference for dairy free living, read the SV Review of 'Dairy Free Made Easy'

Coconut cream is a delicious dairy-free whipped topping for fresh fruit salad, stewed fruit, pumpkin or fruit pies, fruit crumbles and crisps.

You'll need a good blender to make coconut cream. If you want to double the recipe, make it in two batches so you don't overtax your blender. This recipe makes about 2 cups of coconut cream. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup full fat coconut milk, from two 13.5 oz cans
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar or to taste
• 1/4 cup soy or rice milk powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or to taste

Directions:

1. Open the cans of coconut milk, and cover with plastic wrap, or just leave the lid on loosely
2. Spoon the thick portion from the top of the coconut milk until you have one cup, reserving the lighter portion left in the bottom of the cans for other uses
3. Chill in the fridge for about 4 hours: The cans of coconut milk, a metal mixing bowl, and the beaters from a hand mixer
4. Beat the thick coconut cream in the chilled bowl with a hand mixer until thick and fluffy
5. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar and milk powder 1 or 2 Tblsp at a time, testing for flavor and consistency
6. For flavored whipped cream, add some cinnamon, instant coffee, or cocoa powder (you may want to increase the sugar a bit); or replace the vanilla with almond or coconut extract or a liqueur
7. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the coconut cream from the blender to a covered storage container, and refrigerate until needed