Cocobella Kids And A Cheeky Adults Only Dessert

A few weeks ago I was introduced to the delightful Cocobella Kids range of coconut water and juice. Unlike other flavoured coconut water drinks, these are the first ones in Australia formulated with kids in mind. They have no added sugar, no added colours or flavours and no additives or preservatives. Cocobella Kids is a lunchbox friendly and healthy coconut water drink for kids, made from 70% coconut water, 30% fruit juice and nothing else. As with any coconut water, it's also really high in electrolytes, so is a great thirst quencher for the kids during the summer or when they are playing sport.

The Cocobella Kids range contains about 40% less sugar than regular kids fruit juices, so it's a great option to include in their lunchbox or to take on a day out to the zoo or a picnic.

Little Miss and the Little Man loved the juices, which initially surprised me because they haven't really liked coconut water in the past. I'm also not generally a fan, but these were delicious! There were nods and gulps all around!

The two flavours, Apple Berry Breeze and Tropical Island, contain only coconut water and the corresponding juices. Apple Berry Breeze is a mixture of apple and blackcurrant juice and the Tropical Island contains mango, pineapple and grape.

They have a lovely fruit sweetness, without being over the top. There was certainly no risk of these drink boxes being left half full!

Unfortunately for my kids, they have a nude food policy at school, so I can't pack these in the lunchbox, but they'll definitely be included in the picnic bag for a day out. On a hot summer's day, freezing them beforehand would mean that they'd stay cool and refreshing all day long.

If you have little ones, or like flavoured coconut waters yourself, then definitely look out for Cocobella Kids in your local Woolworths. They come in 200ml BPA free Tetra-paks and retail for $3.49 a 3 pack.

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Being a food and wine blogger, I couldn't let this opportunity go past without trying the Cocobella Kids range in a few adults only desserts.

My first thought was to freeze the drink in a shallow tray and then scrape the frozen ice to create a granita. Served over fresh mango or berries, this would be a delightful dessert. Not particularly adults only I know, but refreshing all the same.

To get a bit more fancy, how about putting a spoon or two of the granita in a half full glass of prosecco. An adults version of a spider! Perfect on a warm summer's night when you want a beautiful aperitif before dinner.

The real deal, however, was this mango jelly I made as dessert for Valentine's Day. A mixture of Tropical Island coconut water, fresh mango, Cointreau and gelatine. A simple dessert, made a little more fancy with the added alcohol. Top with a spoonful of natural or lemon yoghurt and some fresh mango and you have a lovely summer dessert. Next up, I'm going to try the same dessert, but using the Apple Berry Breeze with berries. I'm sure it will be equally delicious!

Mango, Cointreau And Coconut Water Jelly

1 mango

3 sheets of gelatine

1x200ml Cocobella Kids Tropical Island juice

30ml Cointreau

Extra mango and yoghurt to serve

Remove flesh from the mango and puree in a small food processor. You want about 1/2 cup.

Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 10 minutes, or until soft. Squeeze out the excess water.

Place gelatine and Cocobella Kids juice in a small heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.

Stir gently with a whisk to dissolve the gelatine completely.

Remove from the heat and add mango puree and Cointreau. Stir to combine.

Pour this mixture through a fine sieve into a jug, to remove any fibrous bits of the mango.

Pour your smooth mixture evenly into pretty glasses or bowls and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set.

To serve, dollop yoghurt onto the jelly and top with a few pieces of fresh mango.

Enjoy!