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Desserts
Honey Vanilla Panna Cotta
May/Jun 2008Panna cotta is possibly the easiest dessert in the world to make and it’s perfect with berries in summer. Most panna cotta is made with whipping cream, but it's just as delicious made with half and half or 18 percent coffee cream.
2 c. half and half or 18% coffee cream
1 package plain gelatin
1/3 c. honey
1 T. sugar
1 t. pure vanilla extract, Madagascar vanilla bean paste, or 1 vanilla bean
Fresh or thawed frozen berries
Pour 1 cup of cream into a medium pot and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to let the gelatin soften.
Set the pot over medium heat and stir, without letting the cream boil, until the gelatin is completely dissolved. This should take 2 to 3 minutes. If you are using a vanilla bean, cut it in half lengthwise, using the tip of a sharp knife, and scrape the seeds out and add them to the cream, along with the scraped pod.
Add the rest of the cream, the honey and sugar and cook for another 5 minutes, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla if you are not using the vanilla bean. If you used a vanilla bean, remove the pod.
Pour the mixture into 8 individual wine glasses, small dishes or ramekins. (If you want to un-mould them onto a plate to serve them, spray the ramekins with nonstick spray first.) Put the panna cotta in the fridge for at least 2 hours, until set.
Serve in its containers or un-mould onto small plates and top with whole or puréed berries sweetened with a little honey or sugar. Serves 8.
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