Plant Milks

Coconut Milk (Sococo) in gelato

Coconut Milk (Sococo) is the canned, full-fat liquid pressed from grated mature coconut endosperm and diluted with water. In gelato it is a plant-based fat-and-water base for coconut-flavored and vegan formulas, delivering roughly 20% fat and almost no sugar.

Balancing parameters

Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).

ParameterValue
Total Solids23.5%
Water76.5%
Sugars2%
Fat20%
MSNF0%
Protein1.3%
POD (sweetening power)2
PAC (anti-freezing power)2

Typical use: 15-35% of the mix (up to ~45% as the sole liquid base in fully vegan coconut gelato).

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How to use it in gelato

Coconut milk works as the fat-and-liquid base of dairy-free and coconut gelato. Its ~20% fat (mostly saturated lauric/medium-chain triglycerides) builds body, richness, and a firm set, while its ~76% water counts directly toward the water balance of the mix. Because it carries only about 2 g of sugar per 100 g, its contribution to PAC and POD is negligible (about 2 each on a sucrose-equivalent basis), so you must add dextrose, sucrose, and inverted sugar separately to hit your freezing-point and sweetness targets. Protein is low (~1.3%), giving less emulsification and whipping than dairy milk, so pair it with an emulsifier/stabilizer blend. Do not over-dose the fat: coconut fat is highly saturated and can read greasy or set too hard.

Origin & background

Coconut milk is a traditional ingredient across Southeast Asian, Caribbean, and coastal Brazilian cooking, made by grating the mature coconut's white endosperm and expressing the liquid. It is distinct from thin coconut water. Sococo, one of Brazil's largest coconut-processing companies, sells a standardized canned 'Leite de Coco Tradicional' whose label declares 20 g fat per 100 g, consistent with USDA's classification of canned coconut milk as an approximately 21%-fat, ~70%-water product.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

More plant milks ingredients

Substitutes for Coconut Milk (Sococo)