Panna Cotta: A simple refreshing summer dessert

You know, if you were just checking this blog out and did not know me you would think I prefer baking and dessert making more than preparing savory foods. Not really true, but somehow that is what always gets onto this blog. Actually, since having kids I find that I do tend to repeat the tried and true meals a little more than I experiment with new entrees. New sweets are essentially always a hit. 

This is what mine looked like when I served it at a small family dinner party.
I used vanilla bean (see the seeds?) rather than extract as called for in the recipe.

So in line with that,  I now present a fabulous recipe for panna cotta. This Italian dessert is like a vanilla-ice-cream-flavored Jello. It is extremely easy to make, makes for a variety of interesting presentations, and is cool and refreshing. Since you make it a day before serving, it is really a time saver. It pairs well with many summer fruits.


I adapted this recipe from Epicurious.


Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with
Rhubarb-Rasberry Sauce and Berries
Serves 8

Panna Cotta

1 envelope unflavored gelatin (about 1 tablespoon)

2 tablespoons cold water

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup half and half

1/3 cup sugar

Half of a vanilla bean, seeds scraped

Sauce

1 cup rhubarb, cut into 1" pieces (fresh or frozen)

1 pint raspberries, fresh or frozen

Splash of water or juice

Sugar to taste (start with 1/2 cup)

Couple dashes of cardamom or cinnamon (optional)

Garnish

Blackberries

Sliced strawberries

A sprig of fresh mint

In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over water and let stand about 1 minute to soften. Heat gelatin mixture in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds or so until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Set aside.

Combine cream, half and half, sugar, vanilla bean case and seeds in a large saucepan.  Bring

just to a boil over med-high heat, stirring. Remove pan from heat, strain, and stir in gelatin mixture. Fill eight 1/2-cup custard cups with the mixture and cool to room temperature. Cover each portion with a small piece of plastic wrap. Chill at least 4 hours.

While the panna cotta is cooling, make the sauce. Combine all sauce ingredient in a saucepan and cook over med-high heat until the rhubarb is quite soft. Cool 15-20 minutes. Press through a strainer or finest screen of a food mill. If the sauce is still thinner than you like, return it to the saucepan to reduce a bit. Taste and adjust sugar. Chill.

To serve: Spoon a little pool of sauce on 8 dessert plates. Dip cups, 1 at a time, into a bowl of hot water 3 seconds. Run a thin knife or spatula around the edge of each and invert onto sauce. Garnish with berries and mint.