Oh-so-delicious Italian dessert: Panna Cotta

Satisfy your cravings with this classic Italian dessert recipe shared by food blogger Amita Bhalerao.

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Panna Cotta is an Italian dessert and simply means cooked cream. Cream and eggs are cooked in the oven and garnished in various ways. The citrus flavours and basil used in this version, adds amazing freshness to the dessert,” says Amita.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

For citrus jelly

• Mixed citrus fruit juice (combination of orange, grapefruit and lemon to taste) A little over 1/2 cup
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 g gelatin powder

For basil-infused citrus fruits

• 1 cup Kumquats
• 1 orange, segmented and cut into small pieces
• 1/2 grapefruit, segmented and cut into small pieces
• Basil leaves, a handful
• ½ cup sugar
• 50 ml water

For vanilla panna cotta

• 8 gm gelatin
• 500 ml milk
• 100 ml whipping cream
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8th tsp cardamom seeds, ground

Directions

To make jelly

• In a saucepan, combine the fruit juices and sugar and bring to boil. When sugar is dissolved, remove from heat.
• Add the gelatin powder and let it dissolve.
• Pour this mixture equally into 5 to 6 separate moulds or bowls and refrigerate for about 2 hours.

For citrus fruits

• Place the Kumquats in a pan and add enough water to cover them and boil for about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Boil 50 ml water, sugar and basil leaves until sugar is dissolved and remove from heat. If you have any extra fruit juice, add that to the water too.
• Pour this mixture over Kumquats.
• Add the segmented fruits and let the fruits marinate until ready to serve.

To make Panna Cotta

• In a separate sauce pan, bring milk, cream, sugar, vanilla extract and cardamom boil.
• Stir constantly so it does not burn. Simmer until sugar is dissolved.
• Remove from heat. Add gelatin powder and mix.
• Let this mixture cool and slightly thicken.
• Make sure the jelly is set in the bowls/moulds and pour this mixture over it.
• Let it set for a couple of hours in the refrigerator.

To serve, place the bowl/mould in hot water for 10 seconds and run a knife through the edges. Place a plate over the bowl and turn the plate over. The mixture should come out. If it doesn’t give it a couple of pats. Enjoy this lovely spring dessert!

Photograph: saffronlavender.com

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