Coconut Corn Pudding

Gather all the necessary ingredients before commencing with the recipe.

To prepare the latik, pour coconut milk into a large non-stick skillet and place it over high heat. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the oil starts to detach from the milk, approximately 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat to a medium level and continue cooking, making sure to scrape the bottom of the skillet regularly with a heat-resistant spatula. This will help in removing any remaining residue, leaving behind only golden brown particles and oil. The entire process should take around 15 minutes, during which time the mixture will resemble ground meat - this is perfectly normal.

Separate the coconut solids from the oil by straining the mixture. The coconut solids, or latik, will be used as a topping for the pudding and should be refrigerated until serving time. Set aside the oil for future use.

Cover an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, extending it up the sides of the pan for easy removal. This will ensure that the pudding is released smoothly.

To prepare the pudding, combine sugar and cornstarch in a medium-sized saucepan. Stir well to ensure even mixing.

Add coconut cream, cream-style corn, and corn kernels (if using) to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until the mixture thickens and becomes bubbly, approximately 2 minutes.

Pour the corn mixture into the prepared baking pan. Cover it with a lid and refrigerate until chilled, ideally for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours before serving.

Carefully invert the pudding onto a serving plate and remove the parchment paper. Cut it into 12 equal slices.

Remove the latik from the refrigerator and chop it finely, if desired. Sprinkle the chopped latik over each slice of pudding.