This year’s winner of the Unilever Food Solutions Chef of the Year Jean-Pierre de la Motte gives us this beautiful, summery pana cotta spiked with tropical flavours.

Coconut Cream Panna Cotta

6 gelatine leaves
400ml coconut cream
125ml coconut water
125ml white sugar
2 tots white rum
1tsp vanilla bean paste

• Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water.
• Bring the rest of the ingredients to a simmer in a medium sauce pan.
• Remove the sauce pan from the heat as soon as it starts to simmer then whisk in the softened gelatine leaves.
• Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a jug for easy pouring.
• Pour the mixture into a silicone mould, mixture should be enough for 6 individual moulds.
• Place the mould into a refrigerator for one and a half to two hours until panna cotta is set.

Coconut Jelly:

330ml coconut water
40g palm sugar grated
4 gelatine leaves

• Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water.
• Bring the rest of the ingredients to a simmer in a medium sauce pan.
• Remove the sauce pan from the heat as soon as it starts to simmer then whisk in the softened gelatine leaves.
• Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a small shallow stainless steel dish.
• Place in the refrigerator and allow to set for one hour.
• Use a melon baller to scoop out round jelly pieces when ready to serve.

Poached Pineapple:

½ peeled and cored pineapple cut into dice
1 cup white sugar
½ cup water
1 tsp vanilla paste

• Bring the sugar, water and vanilla paste to the simmer for three to four minutes.
• Place the diced pineapple into the syrup and continue to simmer for one minute.
• Pour the pineapple and the syrup into a shallow dish and allow to chill in the refrigerator for one to two hours. Served once chilled.

Matcha Tea Sponge:

2Tblsp Matcha tea powder
21g cake flour
80g castor sugar
4 large eggs

• Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl till well-incorporated.
• Strain mixture through a fine sieve.
• Pour mixture into an ISI Cream Gun and after screwing on the head properly, charge the cylinder with two ISI gas cartridges.
• Shake the cannister and fill three disposable coffee cups until two thirds full.
• In a microwave cook the batter that has been piped into the coffee cups for 40seconds on high. Only do one cup at a time. Mixture should be light and chiffon like.
• Using a small palette knife loosen the sponge from the cup by scraping along the inside edge of the cup.
• Tear the sponge into pieces for plating.