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A taste of South Africa – Amarula Pannacotta

Inspired by a recent trip to South Africa, a delicious recipe for Amarula pannacotta.

Serves 6

I’ve recently returned from an incredible House of Coco trip to South Africa where my favorite drink played a key part in the proceedings. Amarula spiked coffees on morning game drives, over ice while I sank into my roll-top tub, via miniatures on the plane home. It only seemed right that I share a recipe using sweet nectar – A Taste of South Africa.

A taste of South Africa

My Love Affair with Amarula

Amarula has a very special place in my heart. For those who are not acquainted with this delicious, creamy liqueur – it is sort of like Baileys, but not really as it’s about one million times better. It is made from the fruit of the Marula tree – often called the elephant tree as the Heffalumps have a particular love of this fruit and are often found stumbling around when they’ve eaten too much of the fermented fruit. I have witnessed first-hand a drunk elephant – it’s fantastic.

At the tender age of 17, I made my first trip to the land of braiis and buckees, my school were so fed up with me that they told me I could only return to do my A levels if I spent my summer volunteering at an orphanage to get some perspective and sort my appalling attitude out. It worked. It was the best thing that ever came out of being a vile teenager because without that wake-up call I may never have fallen head over heels in love with Africa, resulting in many further trips and a desire to move there but more importantly, I fear without that trip, I would have followed a downward spiral into entitled spoilt brat and never really grasped what happens outside of our privileged world.

A Liqueur of Memories and Meaning

I digress, back to the booze. It was on this trip that I discovered this drink. Not in a ‘lads on tour, underage drinking’ way but at the end of our trip we were taken out for a farewell meal and our host insisted we all try the drink and raise a toast – shouting ‘Amaroooooooooooola’ as we clinked our glasses. My alcohol taste preferences before this were strictly Smirnoff Ice and WKD Blue so you can imagine how classy I felt being offered this exotic liqueur… in an actual glass… with ice. Not only did the drink taste delicious but it signified something so special – a bond forged with a group of people who had just spent two months doing something important, connecting with kids who had no one else in the world. We witnessed death, abandonment, and sickness but we also witnessed kids finding forever homes, and overcoming disease and despite everything they had been through – the most unthinkable of scenarios – they continued to smile and act with grace and positivity. I learnt more about humanity on that trip than I could ever imagine. And so, I always have a bottle of Amarula in stock because just seeing the bottle reminds me of both the happiest and saddest of times and reminds me to take a reality check every once in a while.

To create a recipe that showcases this tipple makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I have played around with the measurements so the hit of booze is balanced perfectly with the creaminess – not too harsh but not washed away either. It’s a very simple recipe to make, perfect for dinner parties, as it needs to be made in advance but can then be forgotten about. My mission in life is to ensure everyone I have met has tried this drink, be it in liquid or solid form, so I truly hope you give it a whirl and love it as much as I do. Extra points if you shout ‘Amarooooooooooooola’ at some point during the cooking/eating process.

Check out our recent article on House of Coco where we explore why we’ve fallen for this South African rose. Read more here to discover the captivating story behind it.

What you need :

  • 4 gelatine leaves
  • 300ml of full fat milk
  • 20g caster sugar
  • 300ml double cream
  • 150ml Amarula
  • Gold candy to decorate (optional)

How you do it :

  • Bloom the gelatine sheets in cold water for 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile pour the milk, cream and sugar into a saucepan and bring to just scolding – the surface should begin to pucker and steam will rise from the top. Stir occasionally to ensure the sugar dissolves.
  • Take off the heat and stir in the Amarula.
  • Remove the gelatine from the water and wring out all excess water, whisk into the panna cotta mix.
  • Pour the mix into a pudding mould and pop it into the fridge to set for at least 6 hours.
  • When ready to serve, turn the pudding moulds onto plates and warm them with a cook blow
  • torch to release the pannacotta. Alternatively, sit the moulds in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes.
  • Decorate with gold glitz or any other boujee decorations you see fit.