Obviously, this isn’t a traditional German recipe. Neither bananas nor coconut milk nor limes are native to Germany. What is native to Germany, however, is to eat fruit jellies for dessert. And this banana jelly with coconut sauce is a modern interpretation of jello with vanilla sauce.
A lot of people nowadays don’t bother making their own jellies at home. It’s a typical industry product sold under the name “Götterspeise” which literally translates to god’s food. Well, it’s obviously not that good. What they sell you in these little jello packets is artificial aroma mixed with sugar and gelatin.
You can make a much better jelly at home. This banana jelly isn’t transparent as the industry jellies because it is made from a banana puree. For a clear puree, you have to use pure fruit juice. But I’m not that conscious about the look of it. The whole banana will give you a better flavor and different texture.
This jelly does wiggle but it doesn’t behave like a rubber band. It’s much more similar to an Italian panna cotta in texture. It melts in your mouth when you eat it.
How to prepare banana jelly with coconut sauce
The jelly is super easy to prepare. You just blend the bananas with milk and water and then bring that puree to a light simmer. Then it’s time to season the jelly and add the soaked gelatin sheets. After that, you can pour the jelly into molds and leave it to set in the fridge.
Instead of the traditional vanilla sauce, I decided to serve this banana jelly with coconut sauce. Coconut milk is very popular in Germany, especially for desserts. I prepare it very similarly to the traditional vanilla sauce. The coconut milk gets thickened with an egg yolk and cornstarch mixture. I think it tastes best served cold or at room temperature. If you have any leftovers, it’s perfect to serve it with some fresh fruits for dessert.
I know that this isn’t the prettiest of all desserts. But its taste easily makes up for its plain look. It’s a very pleasing and refreshing flavor and texture combination.
Banana Jelly with Coconut Sauce (‘Bananenpudding mit Kokossoße’)
Ingredients
For the banana jelly:
- canola oil, for greasing the bowls
- 3 bananas, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- lime juice, to taste
- salt, to taste
- 4 gelatin sheets, soaked in water
For the coconut sauce:
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 3 kaffir lime leaves
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch
- lime juice, to taste
- salt, to taste
For serving:
- a few gratings of lime zest
Instructions
Prepare the banana jelly:
- Grease 3-4 small bowls or molds with a thin layer of oil.
- Put the bananas, milk, water, honey, sugar, and cinnamon into a blender and blitz until smooth. Pass the banana milk through a fine-mesh sieve and transfer it into a saucepan. Heat the banana milk until it is lightly simmering. It will thicken slightly because of the banana starch which gelatinizes. Take the pot off the heat and season to taste with lime juice and salt. Be generous with your seasoning as the cooled jelly won’t be as intense in taste when it’s chilled. Stir in the soaked gelatin sheets until dissolved and pour the banana milk into small individual bowls or molds. Place them in the fridge and wait for them to cool down and solidify.
Prepare the coconut sauce:
- In a saucepot, combine the coconut milk, water, and lime leaves. Bring to a simmer, then take the pot off the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. After that, remove the lime leaves.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. Add a ladle full of your hot coconut sauce and stir well. Add the egg yolk mixture to your pot to combine it with the rest of the coconut milk and heat gently until the sauce starts to thicken. Immediately take it off the heat and season to taste with lime juice and salt. Let the sauce cool down to room temperature before serving.
Serve the banana jelly:
- Invert your chilled banana jelly onto a serving plate. If the jelly is stuck to your mold, gently heat the outside of your bowl or mold by placing it in a hot water bath. This will melt the outer layer of your jelly and make it easier to release. Sprinkle the jelly with some freshly-grated lime zest and serve with the coconut sauce.
