This Filipino-inspired dessert brings tender young coconut and chewy nata de coco together with green pandan jelly. Lightly whipped cream brings everything together in a cool, creamy dessert with a variety of textures.
Buko pandan is a Filipino dessert in which young coconut and pandan take center stage. The name refers to buko, or young coconut, and pandan, the fragrant leaf used in various Asian cuisines. There are many different versions; this one combines coconut and pandan jelly with nata de coco and sweetened cream. It is not a fixed, universal recipe, but a refreshing combination of familiar ingredients.
The pandan jelly gives the dessert its color and a soft, floral aroma. Agar-agar makes a firm jelly that can be neatly cut into cubes and still yields pleasantly when you eat it. Agar needs to boil properly to set, so whisk the powder into the liquid and let the mixture boil for at least two minutes, stirring as you go. Let the jelly cool completely and set firmly before cutting it; warm jelly would make the cream deflate.
Fresh young coconut has a tender, juicy bite and a different texture from the firm flesh of a mature coconut. If fresh young coconut is hard to find, you can use drained young coconut from a can. Nata de coco, fermented coconut gel cubes, provides a noticeably chewier contrast. Drain it well so excess syrup doesn't make the cream thin and overly sweet. Coconut water in the jelly adds a subtle coconut flavor; you can replace it entirely with water.
Whip the cold cream only until soft peaks form, then gently fold in the condensed milk. This keeps the base light but firm enough to hold the pieces of coconut and jelly. Taste the cream before mixing everything together: the sweetness of condensed milk varies by brand. A small pinch of salt balances the creamy flavor. Carefully fold in the jelly and coconut so the cubes stay intact and don't break apart.
Serve the dessert well chilled in small glasses or bowls; this makes the colors and different textures easy to see. It’s best made a few hours ahead so the flavors can chill, but don’t stir it vigorously again just before serving. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator at a maximum of 4 °C and eat them within two days. The jelly will stay firm, but the cream will become a little less airy over time.
Put the water, coconut water, agar-agar powder, and sugar in a saucepan. Whisk well and bring to a boil.
Let the mixture boil for 2 minutes, stirring, so the agar-agar dissolves completely. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pandan extract.
Pour the liquid into a shallow dish and let it cool. Then refrigerate the dish for at least 1 hour, until the jelly is firm.
Cut the pandan jelly into cubes. If needed, pat the young coconut flesh and drained nata de coco dry with paper towels.
Whip the cold heavy cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Fold in the condensed milk and salt.
Gently fold the coconut, nata de coco, and pandan jelly into the cream. Divide among six glasses or bowls and serve chilled.
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