Panna cotta with saffron honey and chardonnay vinegar
Clean, direct, yummy.
The panna cotta is as simple as a dessert comes. One should keep this in their locker for dinner parties, events or for themselves and loved ones. It's not too sweet, not too set and can take almost any garnish. This recipe uses saffron honey and chardonnay vinegar. A technique I learnt working at Estela in New York. It’s so surprising and elegant, holding great power. Enjoy.
Makes 15 portions:
Ingredients for panna cotta:
1.5L heavy cream
5 good quality gelatine sheets
75g sugar
2 fresh vanilla beans
Pinch salt
Ingredients for saffron honey vinegar:
5g saffron
Pinch sugar
100g honey
20g good quality chardonnay vinegar
Flakey salt
Method:
Soak your gelatine sheets in ice water for at least 5 minutes to activate and soften. Next, place a saucepan on the stove on medium heat. Add your cream, scraped fresh vanilla plus its outer shell, sugar and salt. Stir to dissolve the sugar and incorporate the vanilla. Once it has reached the boil take off the heat. Squeeze out excess water from the soaking gelatine leaves and add it to the cream mixture. Stir again to dissolve.
Strain your mixture over into a large bowl to catch any excess gelatine and big vanilla pods. Sit the bowl over ice-water to cool rapidly, making sure to continue stirring every once in a while to cool the mixture down evenly. Once the mixture is cold and has stopped steaming, pour into 80- 100ml bowls, coupes or whatever container you see fit. Place into the fridge to set for at least 5 hours - overnight.
Note: cooling down the mixture over ice water before chilling in the fridge will prevent an unwanted and unpleasant skin forming at the top of your panna cotta once set.
Next, make your saffron honey by pounding saffron in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of sugar until a bright powder forms. Add the powder into the honey and stir. Let it sit for as long as the panna cotta needs to set (or longer for a stronger flavour). Follow this by seasoning the honey with the chardonnay vinegar. Taste and set aside.
To finish take your panna cottas out the fridge. Drizzle with a little saffron honey and season with a pinch of flakey salt.
Enjoy.
