Use this coconut sauce in your favorite desserts for a rich and savory taste!
ABOUT COCONUT SAUCE
This coconut sauce is inspired by the coconut sauce used for Thai mango sticky rice! I’ve never had mango sticky rice, so I can’t say if this tastes exactly like it or would taste authentic if used for mango sticky rice, but I think this can go great with a variety of dishes for added flavor. For example, I used this coconut sauce and toasted coconut chips to top the pancakes to make coconut pancakes! I’m not really a fan of coconut, but my dad is, so I made this for him the last time he came to visit me. I got the highest compliment you can get when making desserts for Asian parents: “not too sweet.”
Even though I opted to use this coconut sauce on pancakes, you can use it on a variety of dishes to switch up and elevate the taste. Enjoy this sweet coconut sauce over desserts such as sticky rice, bingsu/shave ice, ice cream, or mix it in with yoghurt or oatmeal for a nice, sweet breakfast!
INGREDIENTS (+ SUBSTITUTIONS)
This is a basic list and explanation of the key ingredients. For full list and measurements, please scroll down to the recipe below!
- ☆ Coconut cream
- Coconut cream is the base for the coconut sauce. If you don’t have coconut cream, you can use coconut milk but the fat content is lower, so it will be a bit thinner and lighter in taste. I think coconut cream is more accessible and more people would have this on hand, but alternatively, you can also use cream of coconut. It’s thicker and sweeter than coconut cream, so you may need more water to thin out the sauce and have to reduce the sugar. You can use both of these in a 1:1 ratio by volume.
- ☆ Sugar
- I used granulated sugar, but you can also use brown sugar, coconut sugar, or vanilla sugar to adjust the flavor.
- ☆ Vanilla extract
- This is to add a little extra flavor. You can omit it for a pure coconut taste. Additionally, if you use vanilla sugar, you can omit as well.
- ☆ Cornstarch
- This will help thicken the sauce. You can use other starches such as potato starch or tapioca starch to thicken as well. If you use any other substitute for coconut cream, you may need to adjust this amount.
- ☆ Water
- This is used to make the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce, but it can also be used separately to thin it out as well. If you use any other substitute for coconut cream, you may need to adjust this amount.
TIPS FOR MAKING COCONUT SAUCE
- ☆ Make sure to cook the coconut sauce over medium to medium low heat! Coconut cream can burn easily and turn brown and flaky. You can eat the toasted coconut and it tastes pretty good, but it will change the overall smoothness and color which is not what we want.
- ☆ There is no set time to cook this, so please keep a close eye on it! It’s ready whenever the sauce is thick, but keep in mind it will thicken more as it cools.
- ☆ Let the coconut sauce cool completely before using. If you have any leftovers, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. It should keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks.
- ☆ On the other hand, be mindful that you don’t put the sauce on something too hot as the sauce can separate causing the oil to come out.
If you recreate this Coconut Sauce recipe, please let me know by tagging me or leaving a comment on Instagram @maruryouri or TikTok @atsuryouri. I’d love to see your creations and hear your feedback!
Coconut Sauce
Ingredients
- 400 ml coconut cream
- 40 g sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 8 g cornstarch
- 60 ml water
Instructions
- Combine coconut cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Be careful not to have the heat too high because the coconut cream can burn.
- In a separate container, mix the cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Once the coconut cream mixture starts to steam, add the slurry and mix to combine. Keep stirring until the mixture is thick and just starts to boil.
- Set aside to cool, and the coconut sauce is done! 完成です！