Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Berries

Words Daniel Ridgeway | Photos Ridgeway Group

Panna cotta is Italian for ‘cooked cream’.

This dish is our signature dessert at Little Truffle and has been since we first opened over 9 years ago. You will find a version of it at the majority of our venues and on our catering menus.

The benefit of being able to makes this dish in advance, along with it doubling as almost a palate cleanser after a large family meal, makes this by far my favourite chilled dessert.

Preparation time

45 minutes

 

Serves

6

Ingredients:

For the panna cotta

  • 600ml thickened cream
  • 100ml Greek yoghurt
  • 4 gelatine leaves (titanium leaves)
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 1 vanilla pod

 

For the strawberry jelly

  • 250ml strawberry puree
  • 1 gelatine leaf (titanium leaves)
  • 50g sugar

 

For the rose granita

  • 150ml strawberry puree
  • 100ml water
  • 10ml rose water

 

For the garnish

  • 6 mint leaves (finely shredded)
  • 3 basil leaves (finely shredded)
  • Edible flowers

Method:

For the panna cotta

  • Place cream, sugar and seeds of the vanilla pod into a small pot on a low/medium stove. Bring up to a simmer.
  • Soak gelatine leaves in cold water until they are soft then whisk into the cream. Take the cream off the stove to cool.
  • Once cream is cooled down a little, whisk in the yoghurt.
  • Pour mix evenly between six glasses. I prefer using cognac glasses as shown in photo. Place in refrigerator to set for approximately 2 – 3 hours or until fully set.

 

For the jelly

  • Heat sugar and puree in a saucepan on a low heat until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Soak gelatine leaf in cold water until it is soft then whisk into puree.
  • Pour evenly over the set cream and return to fridge.

 

For the granita

  • Combine puree, water and rose water and place into freezer.
  • Once frozen scrape with a fork to make ice shavings.

     

    To serve:

    • Spoon granita into glasses on top of the panna cotta, and sprinkle mint, basil and edible flowers on top.