Elegant Coconut Bavarian Cream

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and set aside to soften for 10 minutes. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the milk just to the boiling point.

2. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and salt. In a steady stream, pour the hot milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly.

3. Add the softened gelatin to the hot custard and stir until fully dissolved. Stir in the vanilla extract. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

4. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Toast the coconut on a baking sheet until golden, about 4 minutes, stirring once or twice. (You may use a toaster oven for this step). Transfer to a plate to cool, reserving about 1 tablespoon toasted coconut for garnishing.

5. Whip the egg whites until medium-stiff peaks form; gently fold the egg whites into the cooled custard mixture.

6. Whip the cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Fold the cream into the custard mixture, along with the toasted coconut. Pour the Bavarian cream into serving glasses and chill for at least three hours before serving. Garnish with the reserved toasted coconut.

Editor's Notes:

This recipe contains raw egg. We recommend that pregnant women, young children, the elderly, and the infirm do not consume raw egg. Learn more about egg safety from our article, How to Make Your Eggs Safe.

If you're concerned about consuming raw eggs, you can pasteurize the egg yolks in this recipe by making a creme Anglaise. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and salt. In a steady stream, pour the hot milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat, and pour through a sieve into a mixing bowl.

You may omit the egg whites. The texture of the finished dish won't be quite as light, but it will still be delicious.