Salted Caramel Panna Cotta
Typing those four words has made my mouth water!
Classic panna cotta is normally served with a strawberry coulis to off-set the silky-white texture of the creamy panna cotta. At the very least, slices of strawberry or other fruit will be used to finish the dish – even if just as mere decoration. And this is delicious. But in can be predictable and somewhat boring.
The actual panna cotta is just vanilla-infused cream so therefore can work with other flavours. The first time I strayed from the panna-cotta-norm I created a slightly inedible disaster which I have no desire to recreate! However, this salted caramel panna cotta could easily become one of my favourite desserts.
Salted Caramel Panna Cotta
Ingredients:
| For the Panna Cotta 1 small pot* double cream 3 gelatine sheets 1 Vanilla pod / 1 tspn vanilla paste 1 tbspn caster sugar |
For the Salted Caramel Sauce 250g caster sugar 142ml double cream 50g butter Salt |
*pots used to be sold in 284ml (1/2 pint) pots but are now sold in 300ml pots – don’t worry about the difference.
Method:
1st: Heat the double cream with either a vanilla pod sliced along its length or with a tspn, or thereabouts, of vanilla paste and the caster sugar. Heat through until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
2nd: Bloom the gelatine sheets in cold water until soft. Squeeze out the excess water and add to the warm cream. Stir until completely dissolved.
3rd: Coat the inside of your dariole moulds/brûlée pots with oil and pour the panna cotta cream into them. Chill for a few hours or until set.
In the meantime make the caramel sauce and set this aside to cool before using.
4th: In a heavy bottom frying pan, add the sugar and 4 tablespoons of water. Allow the sugar to dissolve over a gentle heat. Once dissolved, turn up the heat and allow the syrup to bubble until it turns caramel in colour.
5th: Take off the heat and stir in the butter and cream. Optional extra: add salt flakes to the mixture. Stir the mixture making sure the butter has melted properly and everything is incorporated. Decant the mixture into a pouring jug / bottle.
To serve the panna cotta:
Run a knife along the inside of the dariole mould and sit in a bowl of hot water for a few seconds to loosen the panna cotta from the mould. Place a plate ontop of the mould and upturn. The panna cotta should come easily out of the mould. If not, place it back into the bowl of hot water.
Pour the caramel sauce over and top with grated chocolate. Absolutely amazing!
gastrorob 