Gluten and dairy free: Serves 6 - 8 An amazingly quick and delicious dessert to put together. Simply pour the Coconut Cream into little ramekins or small glass containers, and top with fruit of choice. In summer I prefer to make a lovely fruit salad, full of mango, cherry, peach, apricot and passionfruit and, in winter, baked rhubarb or stewed berries.

Kitchen Notes: This has a lovely soft set, but if you would prefer it a little firmer, add another 1/4 teaspoon agar flakes. Oatmeal is not ground rolled oats, but rather a coarse oat flour ground from oat kernels.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup with another 1 extra if required
• 800 ml coconut milk
• 1/2 cup maple syrup or raw sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon agar powder
• 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch or kudzu

Method:

Add the coconut milk, maple syrup or raw sugar and agar to a medium size saucepan and whisk through. If the coconut oil has set in the tin and is solid, just add the milk to the pot first, and melt it before adding the sugar and agar. If using a vanilla bean, cut it down the centre length with a small sharp knife, but not the entire way through. Add to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently to stop the agar from sinking to the bottom and sticking. Cook for approx 6 - 8 mins from the boil. Remove from the heat. Remove the bean, place on a flat surface and, using a small sharp knife, run along its centre - scraping off the seeds. Return these to the pot. Alternatively, just add the vanilla extract. Add the cornstarch or kudzu to a small bowl and mix to a slurry with 1/4 cup water. Add to the coconut mix and whisk through. Return the pot to the heat and, stirring constantly, bring to the boil. Let boil for a few seconds, then remove from heat. Let cool a little before pouring into small pots, leaving a little room to put the fruit on top. Leave to cool a bit, until it starts to firm, before putting in the fridge to set - approx 1 hour.