A week or so ago I talked to my mother in Germany and she told me what she made for Christmas. In our family, Christmas supper depends on the person who is hosting it. So each year will be different. She told me what her dessert was and since we are invited over to a friends house I thought I would make the same dessert: Panna Cotta.
Panna Cotta is Italian meaning cooked whipping cream, which pretty much tells you exactly what you will get and it’s quite simple. The only “problem” is the cooling time.
Ingredients:
– 500 ml whipping cream
– 50g sugar
– vanilla
– gelatin
– fruit puree or sauce (optional)
Check your gelatin package to see instructions. Mine said that it should be combined with 50 ml cold liquid and then with 50 ml boiling water. Do as your package says. Meanwhile combine whipping cream, vanilla and sugar and bring to a simmer, then cook it for 10 min but make sure it does not over boil. Remove from the heat and let it cool before adding the gelatin.
While still liquid pour into a form of you liking. Then let it cool for several hours in the fridge until solid. Before serving, flip the form over and remove the Panna Cotta from it. Serve it with a fruit sauce or fruit puree. You may also serve it in the form if you like.
For my fruit puree I used strawberry and a bit of Merlot. Combined that in a blender and it worked really nice. You may also add a bit sugar if you have especially acid fruit. However, combined with the Panna Cotto it should balance each other out.
I filled the bottom with Panna cotta, put strawberry puree on top and then used a piping bag to add more Panna Cotta on top. I would say that is not the traditional way but due to timing issues it was the only thing I was able to do.
Happy Dessert making!
Baking in Saskatoon 