Coconut Cream

Ingredients:

1-2 - cans heavy coconut cream (full-fat, no low-fat) CHILL AHEAD

1 T - organic sugar/organic powdered sugar or 2 T honey/maple syrup

1 tsp - vanilla extract

Yield: 8-10 servings

You MUST buy canned full-fat coconut milk. This won’t work with light or low-fat options. It also won’t work with cartons of coconut milk you buy in the refrigerator section of the market.
Chilling your can in the fridge for 1-2 days is the minimum. Longer is always better, just to make sure the milk separates and cream hardens.
Some brands are more successful than others when it comes to texture. Brands I consistently have success with include Native Forest (both the classic and simple versions), 365 and Arroy-D.
Don’t add your sweetener until you’ve figured out the consistency your cream. If your cream is really soft, adding a liquid sweetener might thin it down even more (it won’t thicken with beating). In this case, you might want to use powdered sugar. But if your texture is thick and waxy, honey or maple syrup can help to make it smoother.
If your coconut cream is too thick and stiff (after adding your sweetener), you can always thin it down with a little of the reserved coconut water. This will help to make it smooth and creamy. Just add a little bit at a time while blending.
To ensure your coconut cream is foolproof, make it the day ahead! You can refrigerate it in a sealed container, then just stir before serving.