Thursday, April 28, 2011

The Best Paleo Dessert Ever - Two Ways!

You do not have to give up dessert in the name of paleo.  Sometimes you just want a little treat, and that's ok (at least I tell myself that).  I think we have found the ultimate guilt-free paleo dessert. 

Of course, we always have the option of making some delicious paleo banana ice cream, but even though it's just bananas - it is a sugar bomb and reserved for rare occasions.  There's also the option of these amazing double chocolate peppermint brownie bites, but again they do have a teensy bit of maple syrup.  Recently we've been indulging in these two desserts, and I consider them 100% ok for everyday.

Here they are, one hot and one cold - both using the same ingredients!

Blueberry Compote over Coconut Cream (2 servings)

    Blueberry Compote over Coconut Cream
  • Heat about a cup of frozen wild blueberries in a small saucepan over medium heat
  • As the berries begin to warm up they will breakdown and get saucy, I usually only keep them on the heat long enough to warm through - but if you want it really saucy, keep it on longer
  • Add cinnamon and nutmeg to berries to taste (I like a lot!)
  • Place 2-3 tablespoons coconut cream concentrate* in a small dessert dish and top with the blueberry compote
  • Eat slowly and savor!
* For the coconut cream concentrate, I use either Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream Concentrate or Artisana Coconut Butter.  Both are dee-lish, I lean toward Artisana because I think its creamier. 


Coconut Cream & Blueberry Bark






  • Warm coconut cream just until it has a creamy consistency.  I place the jar in a container of hot water to do this, if you have a warm kitchen - that may not even be necessary






  • Spread the coconut cream out on a piece of parchment paper, to about 1/4-1/2 inch thick






  • Sprinkle with frozen blueberries and wait about 8-10 minutes






  • The frozen blueberries harden the coconut cream, break apart into bite size pieces and enjoy!



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    Coconut Cream & Blueberry Bark

    12 comments:

    1. Warning: try at your own risk. I've become fully addicted to these tasty treats, and now have to fight the urge to follow EVERY meal with one (and I often do).

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    2. Made the bark and linked to you! You are absolutely correct to warn people of the addictive risk. Thanks for this great creation!

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    3. Becky, so glad you liked it! Thanks for the link.

      In a moment of weakness, one in which I needed some coconut butter in my mouth immediately, I discovered another warning. Use extreme caution when attempting to warm the coconut butter in the microwave. I put a few tablespoons in a small bowl and rather than safely heating it up with warm water, I threw it in the microwave for a minute. A minute is WAY too long. Some of the butter actually began to burn, turned a burnt brown, and was bubbling. Too consumed with my desire to get some coconut butter on my tongue, I actually burned my tongue a bit. Nothing serious, but still, watch out.

      I have been able to successfully heat the coconut butter up in the microwave, and am finding it to be a quicker/easier method. To do this, heat a serving for about 20 seconds, take out and stir, and then heat up again for another 15-20 seconds. Microwave's are all different so if you choose this route, proceed with caution.

      If you're in a crazy rush and want to make the compote recipe, you can try putting the blueberries in the microwave with the coconut butter, but this is far more inconsistent. Sometimes this has worked great, and a few of the blueberries will burst, and smear over/into the coconut butter, creating an interesting and nice effect, but other times, they hardly warm up at all. This method is not recommended, but if your need for a dessert is super intense, go ahead and try it out.

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    4. Wow, Blogger lost us some comments there ... but on that whole coconut cream/coconut butter accessibility issue, the blueberry bark gave me an idea that worked. I just heated up my jar of coconut cream and spread the whole thing out on a Silpat. When it solidified, I broke it into tablespoon-sized pieces, put them all in a Mason jar, and stored them in the fridge. VERY easy to get out a piece or two to heat in a saucepan with or without water ... or just ... to eat plain! No more prying and scraping out of the jar!

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    5. I do this in a tiny bowl and when the cream hits the blueberries and hardens I mash it up with a fork and it creates a gelato type of concoction..YUM!

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    6. Found you on Pinterest and have to try this! Will link back to from my blog if I end up posting it, but I bet I will!

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    7. so where can i buy the coconut cream? whole foods maybe?

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    8. I find the cream at Winn Dixie and Publix,(typical grocery stores) in the ethnic foods sections.

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    9. Should I store the bark at room temperature or is the refrigerator okay?

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    10. You can also get Coconut Cream at Trader Joes.

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    11. Hmmm what if you're not a big fan of coconut what would be a good substitute for the coconut cream

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    12. I always buy coconut milk in a can that's very thick & creamy...is this what you are referring to in this recipe? I'm not familiar with coconut 'cream.' Please clarify so I will know what to use. Thank you!!! This sounds so good :)

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