Cococala

Coconut and Calamansi Plated Dessert

Cococala - Coconut Calamansi Plated Dessert Top View
Cococala - Coconut Calamansi Plated Dessert Top View

Published: June 27th, 2020 | Last Updated: July 24th, 2021

Calacoco is a dessert we made for mother's day. We had recently made some toasted coconut praline paste and also received some fresh calamansi from my parents’ garden (we’re so lucky). These two flavours work so well together and are commonly used ingredients in the Philippines where my parents are from. Calamansi traditionally isn’t really used for desserts in Filipino cuisine. It is mainly used as a citric element on savoury dishes or at most as a drink like lemonade. We wanted to make a modern dessert using calamansi to give my parents a brand new experience but tie it back to familiar and nostalgic flavours.

Elements

  1. Toasted Coconut Praline
  2. Toasted Coconut Praline Cremeux
  3. Coconut Streusel Crumb
  4. Calamansi Cloud Mousse
  5. Calamansi Jelly
  6. Calamansi Sugar
  7. Toasted Meringue Shards

Ingredients

Toasted Coconut Praline Paste

  • 180g coconut flakes
  • 75g superfine/caster sugar
  • 3g salt
  • 3g confectioners sugar

Toasted Coconut Praline Cremeux

  • 70g cream
  • 30g milk
  • 140g Toasted coconut praline paste

Calamansi Jelly and Cloud Mousse

Calamansi Sugar

  • About 5g Calamansi zest
  • 10g caster sugar

Toasted Meringue Shards

  • 40g egg whites
  • 40g caster sugar
  • 40g pure icing sugar

Coconut Streusel Crumb

  • 60g all purpose flour
  • 60g brown sugar
  • 60g cold unsalted butter
  • 30g almond flour
  • 30g desiccated coconut

Method

Toasted Coconut Praline Paste

We’ve written a standalone recipe that goes into depth and gives some helpful tips on how to make the toasted coconut praline paste. Click here to view the recipe.

  1. Toast the coconut in the oven at 160°C for 15-20 minutes stirring every 5 minutes until browned.
  2. Make a dry caramel with the caster sugar. Once an amber colour is reached, pour onto a silicone mat to harden and cool.
  3. Break caramel into small pieces and place into a food processor with the toasted coconut, salt and confectioners sugar.
  4. Process and blitz until the mixture is smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides periodically. If the mixture looks too pasty, keep blending to release the oils of the coconut shards and it will eventually become smooth.

Toasted Coconut Praline Cremeux

  1. Prepare 140g of the coconut praline into a bowl.
  2. Bring the milk to 70°C.
  3. Pour the milk over the toasted coconut praline. Emulsify using a silicone spatula by mixing starting with small circles from the centre of the mixture and gradually use larger circles until the mixture is combined well. The mixture will be darker and may look oily as there is a lot of fat in the praline.
  4. Pour in the cold cream and emulsify the mixture again using the same technique with the silicone spatula.
  5. To obtain a perfect emulsion, use a stick blender, being careful not to introduce too much air.
  6. Parse the cremeux through a sieve and store in the fridge until ready to use.

Calamansi Jelly and Cloud Mousse

We’ve written a standalone recipe that goes into depth and gives some helpful tips on how to make the calamansi jelly and cloud mousse. Click here to view the recipe.

Make the Calamansi Jelly and Set Overnight
  1. Place gelatin leaves to soak in cold water.
  2. Heat up the water slightly (approximately 50°C) so that it is hot but not simmering.
  3. Squeeze the excess water out of the gelatin leaves and dissolve in the heated water.
  4. Once dissolved, add the calamansi juice.
  5. Allow to completely set for 8 hours or ideally overnight.
Whip the jelly to make the cloud mousse
  1. Prepare a mould for the cloud mousse. We used a ring mould lined with plastic wrap.
  2. Place 280g of the jelly in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk for 40 minutes until pillow-y and fluffy.
  3. Pour gently into the prepared mould and freeze overnight.

Calamansi Sugar

Combine the calamansi zest and sugar

Coconut Streusel Crumb

We’ve written a standalone recipe that goes into depth and gives some helpful tips on how to make the coconut streusel crumb. Click here to view the recipe.

  1. Sift the brown sugar, almond flour, all purpose flour and desiccated coconut together into a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
  2. Cut the cold butter into small cubes and add to the stand mixer.
  3. Mix on a low speed until the mixture just comes together.
  4. Spread the mixture roughly and cool in the fridge for 20 minutes.
  5. Parse the mixture through a cooling rack to obtain small even pieces.
  6. Bake at 160°C for about 15 minutes or until browned and toasty.

Meringue shards

We’ve written a standalone recipe that goes into depth and gives some helpful tips on how to make the meringue shards. Click here to view the recipe.

  1. Preheat the oven to 70°C.
  2. Whip the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks.
  3. While whipping, gradually and the sugar and whip until it reaches stiff peaks.
  4. Sift the confectioner’s sugar into the meringue and fold with a silicone spatula until evenly combined.
  5. Spread thinly about 2mm onto a silicone mat and dry in the oven for about 1 hour.
  6. Allow to cool and break into large shards.

Assembly

  1. Spoon the coconut streusel on the plate.
  2. Scoop a rocher/quenelle of the toasted coconut cremeux and place it on top of the crumb.
  3. Using a spoon, place some drops of the calamansi jelly around the crumb.
  4. Pipe some dots of the toasted coconut praline.
  5. Cut out a block of the calamansi cloud mousse and rest it over the cremeux
  6. Place some shards of the meringue and toast with a blowtorch.
  7. Finally, sprinkle some calamansi sugar over the calamansi cloud mousse.

Cococala - Coconut calamansi plated dessert side view
Cococala - Coconut Calamansi Plated Dessert Top View

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