Vegan Eggnog Panna Cotta with Gingerbread Pecan Crumble

Author Notes

Eggnog comes but once a year as a favored tipple for holiday parties where strings of lights and mistletoe are the preferred decor. I love the sweet, creamy vibe for a Christmas cocktail inspired dessert, but my lactose intolerant belly does not love the dairy.

TL;DR if you’d rather not hear about my recipe developing process: This is my take on vegan eggnog as a holiday party dessert with a contrasting textural topping that takes notes from gingerbread cookies and pecan pie. Add a drizzle of caramel sauce just before serving, if desired, for a full spectrum of textures that more closely aligns with my original vision for this recipe, but I think it’s simpler and dare I say just as tasty without.

As a bit of background, I’ve been playing around with agar powder for gelled desserts recently with visions of 50s dinner parties and jellied Italian, French and Spanish desserts in mind. One criticism I saw expressed frequently online (and agreed with in my own experiences) was that the texture of the final product tends to be firmer than gelatin… perhaps too firm. Could the issue be resolved by simply using less? Considering where I landed with this recipe, I think there may be more flexibility to scale the ratio of agar to liquid up or down to create the desired effect than many recipes might lead one to believe.

I had started my journey making vegan panna cotta recipes from The Minimalist Baker and Bettina Campolucci Bordi’s Celebrate and a few other food blogs — basically all with coconut milk and the same ratio of agar to liquid (1/2 teaspoon to 2 cups liquid). I tested out a few combinations of liquid with higher and lower ratios of fat and alcohol (because a boozy eggnog adaptation seemed appropriate) and varying amounts agar powder and landed at 1/4 teaspoon Now Foods agar powder to 2 cups liquid (at least 1 1/2 cups canned coconut milk or standard eggnog for the fat content, and a bit more agar when using alcohol) to end up with a jiggly, but meltingly soft texture.

If you would prefer a non-vegan version or another eggnog from the grocery store, simply use 2 cups of eggnog instead of the coconut milk, maple syrup and nutmeg. Standard eggnog will result in a slightly more custard-like texture (yes, I tested that as well), just be mindful to whisk throughout the cooking process to avoid scalding the milk. —Joni Goldbach