Festive Panna Cotta

Festive Panna Cotta

This panna cotta is dollied up with a peach syrup, fresh peach slices and a biscuit crumb to whow your guests. It makes 6 portions of 125ml each – I prefer to make mine 80ml portions as it is a rich dessert.

45ml water
17,5ml powdered gelatine
750ml cream
100ml caster sugar
5ml vanilla

Pour the water into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatine on top. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
Pour the cream into a small saucepan and add the caster sugar.
Turn the heat to medium and stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved.
Remove the mixture from the heat just before it reaches a boil.
Melt the gelatine in the microwave at 5 seconds bursts.
Add the liquid gelatine, in a thin stream, to the cream mixture while whisking vigorously.
Add the vanilla and whisk through.
Pour the mixture into bowls/glasses/moulds and cover with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for 6 hours, until set.

To serve:

Peach syrup:
Cut 3 fresh peaches into chunks and add it to a small saucepan.
Add 60ml peach/tropical fruit juice and simmer for 5 minutes on a low heat.
Blitz the mixture together and pour through a sieve.
Refrigerate the syrup until ice cold.

Crumb:
Place 6-8 dry biscuits in a plastic bag and smash them until you have an even crumb texture.

Assemble the dessert by drizzling the peach syrup over the panna cotta. Add a spoonful of the crumb and garnish with a few slices of fresh peach to serve.

Summer Pavlova

Summer Pavlova

This is a large pavlova and will feed 10 – 12 people. Make it for the perfect end to a summer’s lunch…

6 egg whites
400g caster sugar
10ml white vinegar
15ml cornflour
5ml vanilla
500ml cream
fresh cherries
fresh strawberries
passionfruit

Preheat your oven to 150℃. Draw a 22cm diameter circle on a piece of baking paper and place on a baking sheet.
Add the egg whites to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until soft peak stage.
Add the sugar a spoonful at a time while whisking continuously.
Add the vinegar, cornflour and vanilla and fold through.
Spoon the mixture onto the circle (on the prepared tray) and shape it into a round dome.
Place the pavlova in the oven and turn the temperature down to 120℃.
Bake the pavlova for 1 hour 15 minutes.
Turn off the oven but do not open the oven door. Allow the pavlova to cool in the oven for 2 hours.
Whip the fresh cream and spoon onto the fully cooled pavlova.
Top with the cherries and strawberries and drizzle over some passionfruit.