You’re looking at two Coconut Budinos, the sweetest little individualized desserts ever to be beloved by everybody. They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, and require no skill to make. They’re universal, unless you’re a coconut hater. Democratic, if you will.
A democratic dessert fits perfectly in with what’s going on today, because I want to share some plans with you and ask for your opinions: What are you looking for when you come to BGSK? What are your favorite parts of the site?
I talked on Friday with Rachel, our WordPress designer, about getting into gear to make design changes I’ve been envisioning for a long, long time. They revolve mainly around reorganizing the homepage so it feels less like a magazine and more like, well, a blog. To me, that’s a more honest and fun way to present my posts to you: I can show you what I’m actually cooking right now, rather than fashioning a slideshow out of old posts that I guessed you might like to see.
I’ll still find a way to highlight old recipes from the archives, because, well, there’s some great stuff there I wouldn’t want you to miss.
I’m also planning to add a Print feature and a Pin It button to take you right to Pinterest, and to make the header smaller and the photos and text more prominent so you can jump right into content. I’ll be leaving the recipe index as is, and keeping the sections for menus and guides-unless you tell me not to.
I’m also happy to report that over the weekend, as you might have noticed, ad spots from our new partner started to go live on the site. I’m looking forward to working with Say Media and would love to hear any comments from you about the new ads.
That’s my bit. Now it’s your turn: please share a little more about how you use BGSK, what you love and what you’d change-leave a note in the comments, or click through the survey below if you have a second!
That’s it! Thanks in advance for any feedback…and now for those Coconut Budinos!
From my question, gauging opinion, to yours,
Cara, THE QUARTER-LIFE COOK
**Recipe**
Coconut Budino
Serves 4
Here’s the scoop on baked puddings and water baths, if you care: when you add flour or any starch (including bread) to a custard, you don’t have to worry that the egg in the mixture will curdle. When you make starch-less pots de creme, you have to cook the puddings in a water bath, since they have no starch to bind the egg. But the recipe I adapted these from used both a water bath and a few teaspoons of flour, which is actually double insurance against curdling. So even when I cut the flour and subbed in almond meal, it was the water bath that saved my budinos from a curdled fate.
Ingredients
Coconut oil, for greasing the ramekins (optional; you can also use butter)
6 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, separated
3 tablespoons almond meal
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (not shredded coconut)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease four 3/4-cup ramekins with about 2 teaspoons of coconut oil.
Combine 4 tablespoons sugar, egg yolks, almond meal, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Whisk in the coconut milk.
In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and a sprinkle of salt with a handheld mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until frothy. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Fold into the lemon mixture until just combined. Divide among the four ramekins. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of the coconut flakes. Place the ramekins in a baking dish with enough water to reach half way up the ramekins. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until puffed and just beginning to become golden brown on the top.
Serve immediately or at room temperature - they’ll deflate a bit though!
