Blood Orange Panna Cotta Recipes

ORANGE PANNA COTTA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let soak 10 minutes (do not stir).
• Meanwhile, heat the cream, sugar, orange peel, and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, to dissolve the sugar. As soon as it simmers, turn off the heat and add the gelatin mixture, stirring to dissolve the gelatin. (If the gelatin doesn¿t completely dissolve in 3 minutes, return to the heat and warm gently until dissolved.)
• Strain the mixture into a pitcher to remove the vanilla bean and orange rind. Pour the mixture into 6 to 8 ramekins or dessert cups, or into 1 larger dish. Chill, uncovered, at least 3 hours.
• To unmold, dip the cups in hot water for 10 seconds, then turn the panna cottas out onto dessert plates (or, simply serve in the cups or by the spoonful). Shave some chocolate curls onto the top of the panna cottas and serve with the orange supremes.
• Notes about the recipe: I love panna cotta because you can combine milks and creams to make it sweeter, more tart, or creamier. And then the flavor can be anything you can imagine goes well with dairy¿raspberry, citrus, coffee, tea, what ever! So it's one of those really flexible desserts that you can tailor to fit the flavors in the rest of your menu, and "flexible" almost never happens when it comes to a dessert recipe. Also, you can vary the container you make it in and turn it out to serve it or leave it in. Try using eggcups, demitasse cups, a hollowed out clean eggshell, shot glasses, anything will do. These are ingredients you might already have in your kitchen, too, so it cuts down on shopping, which is key for me. When I want to cook, I want to get right to it and not have to make a trip to the grocery just to get my hands into some dessert!

BLOOD ORANGE PANNA COTTA

Steps:

• FOR THE PANNA COTTA: Pour gelatin into a small bowl and moisten with 1 T cool water. Let bloom for 1 or 2 minutes. In a small saucepan, combine half of the blood orange juice with the sugar on medium heat, and bring just to a simmer. Add gelatin and the finely-grated zest. Remove from heat when gelatin fully dissolved. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine remaining orange juice with creme fraiche and buttermilk. Strain hot juice-gelatin liquid into the bowl, and whisk gently to mix evenly. Portion into ramekins. Refrigerate and allow to set, about 4 to 6 hours, or overnight.
• FOR THE GRANITE: Pour orange juice into a large mixing bowl. Combine lemongrass, zest strips, sugar, and water in a saucepot and bring to boil. Remove from heat and strain into the orange juice. Stir. Pour into a large freezer-safe storage container, cover and refrigerate. When cool, freeze overnight. When solid, scrape with a fork into ice flakes. Serve or store in the freezer in a sealed container.
• FOR THE PISTACHIOS: On a sheet pan, toss pistachios in just enough confectioners' sugar to lightly coat. Combine water, sugar, and salt in heavy-bottomed skillet on high heat. Cook until sugar melts and lightly caramelizes to light brown (about 140 Celsius). Add the pistachios and mix vigorously to coat every nut with sugar mixture. Keep cooking and stirring until the nuts caramelize. Meanwhile, line the sheet pan with parchment or a Silpat. Spread nuts on the Silpat or parchment-lined sheet tray to cool.
• ORANGE SUPREMES: With a sharp knife, cut the top and bottom off each orange. Trim rind and skin from sides, following the contour of the orange. Cut orange into segments by making a vertical cut on either side of each segment's white stripe. To serve, place 3 to 4 supreme slices on top of each panna cotta ramekin. Scrape 1 to 2 T of granite ice flakes from the block with a fork and add over supremes. Garnish with sea salt and a few caramelized pistachios.

BLOOD ORANGE PANNA COTTA

Steps:

• Pour 1 cup juice into medium saucepan; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand 15 minutes.
• Stir gelatin mixture over low heat until gelatin dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 5 teaspoons orange peel; stir until sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Strain into medium bowl, pressing on solids. Discard solids in strainer. Cool juice mixture 10 minutes. Whisk yogurt, cream, and lemon juice into orange juice mixture until smooth. Divide among six small goblets. Chill until set, at least 4 hours ahead.
• Stir 1 1/3 cups orange juice, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons orange peel, and cardamom in medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil until reduced to 6 tablespoons, 16 to 17 minutes. Strain syrup into small bowl; chill.
• Spoon some of syrup over each panna cotta and serve.