Delia Panna Cotta Recipes

LEMON PANNA COTTA WITH BLACKBERRIES & HONEY MADELEINES

Steps:

• For the panna cotta, put 6 small pudding moulds (about 120ml each) on a baking tray. Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of very cold water (see tip, below) and set aside.
• Put the cream, milk and sugar into a large pan and bring slowly to the boil. When the cream is boiling, add the lemon juice and the lemon and lime zest and whisk well. Simmer for a few mins until reduced slightly, then turn off the heat.
• Scoop the softened gelatine out of the water and squeeze off any excess water. Stir into the hot cream, leave until just warm, then strain the cream into a jug. Carefully pour the mix into the moulds and place in the fridge for at least 5 hrs until completely set - overnight is ideal.
• To make the madeleines, beat the eggs with the sugar and honey until light and airy. Whisk in the flour and ground almonds until completely incorporated, then gradually whisk in the cooled, melted butter. The batter can be made several hrs in advance.
• To bake the madeleines, heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Generously butter, then flour, the madeleine or bun tins. Spoon the batter into the tins and bake for 10-12 mins, depending on the size of the tins.
• When the madeleines are golden and baked all the way through, remove from the oven and leave to cool for 2 mins. Tip out of the tin and bake another batch, if you need to. Drizzle the blackberries with liqueur, if using.
• To unmould the panna cottas, run the tip of a knife around the edge of the mould. Dip the mould briefly into hot water until the filling just comes away from the sides. Use your fingers to gently loosen the panna cotta away from the edges of the mould. When you are confident that it will turn out, reverse the mould onto a serving plate and gently lift off, releasing the contents.
• To plate up, unmould a panna cotta in the middle of each plate, pouring over any melted mix from the mould. Arrange blackberries around half of the panna cotta. Place a few madeleines on the opposite side of the plate. Spoon over a little of the blackberry juices from the bowl and serve straight away.

VANILLA PANNA COTTA

Steps:

• Add the sheets of gelatine to a bowl of cold water and soak for 5 mins.
• Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan with the sugar and vanilla seeds (to scrape the seeds out of the pod, use the back of a knife). Stir to combine and bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat. Take the gelatine out of the cold water and squeeze out the excess, then add to the milk mixture. Stir until completely dissolved. Tip into four ramekins and place in the fridge to set for at least a couple of hours.
• To serve, turn each ramekin upside-down onto a serving plate. If the panna cotta won't drop out, carefully dip the ramekin in a bowl of warm water to loosen it. Serve with a drizzle of strawberry compote and sliced fresh strawberries.

VANILLA PANNA COTTA WITH CARAMELISED ORANGE

Steps:

• Place the gelatine and milk in a pan, then leave it to one side to soak. Meanwhile, place the orange zest, vanilla pods and sugar in a pan. Add 800ml of the cream, then bring to the boil. Simmer until the mixture is reduced by one-third. While the cream is reducing, remove the gelatine from the milk, set aside, then warm the milk. When it is warm, add the soaked gelatine and stir until completely dissolved. Add to the warm cream, pass through a sieve, then leave to cool.
• Lightly whip the remaining cream, then fold into the setting mixture. Pour the mixture into a 1-litre pudding bowl, then place in the fridge to set for at least 5 hrs.
• While the panna cotta is setting, make the sauce for the orange salad. Tip the sugar into a non-stick pan, then place on the heat to cook down to a caramel. Pour in the Grand Marnier and orange juice - this will make the caramel harden, so just simmer on a low heat, stirring, until it's dissolved to a syrupy consistency. Remove from the heat.
• Take the panna cotta out of the fridge, slide a knife around the edge of the bowl and dip very briefly in hot water to loosen. Tip the panna cotta into the middle of a plate, then arrange the orange segments around it. Spoon the orangey sauce over the panna cotta and oranges, then scatter over the zest.