As promised and only partly due to an abundance of whipping cream, I embarked on a panna cotta panoply yesterday.
For those who might not be aware, panna cotta is a gelatinized pudding-like dessert; one that I only recently learned to enjoy. After an amazing orange blossom version (another anomaly since I despise oranges) at Cowbell, I realized the reason I’d been so turned off in the past was simply due to a heavy hand with gelatin. Anything overly wobbly or exhibiting a skin was definite cause for a pass, but I endeavored to expand my horizons and try creating them at home.
When we visited Cheese Boutique recently as part of our ramp adventure, I managed to stock up on a few uncommon flavor extracts with the express purpose of preparing panna cotta. But after considering my options (which included chocolate, rosewater and orange blossom extracts) I chose 100 Mysteries instead. The two flavors I most wanted to test drive were unavailable and still being tracked down (elderflower and hibiscus) so tea seemed like an acceptable second fiddle.
I brewed a pot of cream with a tea ball full of the exquisite tisane, and allowed it to steep while maintaining the barest simmer for 20 minutes. The recipe I used as a starting point called for a little honey, and in my naivete I thought that honeycomb would work just as well. The flavor of the honeycomb was fine, but once the cream reached a certain temperature the beeswax melted and formed a slightly oily film that had to be extracted using the utmost care. Once that disaster was averted, the rest was smooth sailing. After the interval for brewing, bloomed gelatin sheets were stirred in, and the cream was dispatched into 4 dainty, fluted ramekins. Following a slight dissipation of heat, the puddings were left in the fridge for a few hours to take a chilly catnap.
Success!
My panna cottas were creamy, silky and perfumed with the inimitable fragrance of the 100 Mysteries blend. They had a very soft set that was neither gummy nor watery and a lovely, buttermilky hue. The honeycomb ended up solidifying into a rather unappealing crust, but the process of heating the molds to release the custard took care of that well enough. A truly magical treat when accompanied by a dollop of black pepper balsamic strawberry compote. The Everyman swore he wouldn’t touch them (not being a big pudding fan) but I’m pretty sure that after inhaling the delicious aroma of the tea steeped cream he’ll probably end up sneaking a few bites sooner or later… if I let him! While I thoroughly enjoyed the complexity and depth of flavor, I think this blend would still be better suited to an ice cream – perhaps I’m not a panna cotta convert yet after all. The recipe, for those who are interested;
Foodie’s 100 Mysteries Panna Cotta
1.5 c. whipping cream
0.5 c. milk
0.25 c. honey (not comb)
1 tbsp 100 Mysteries tea
0.5 tbsp sugar
2 sheets of gelatin
Pack a teaball with loose tea and submerge in a saucepan containing a mixture of milk, cream, honey and sugar. Allow to come to the barest simmer, stirring occasionally and let steep for 20 minutes. Bloom the gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes, then remove from the bowl and squeeze out excess water. Bring cream to a near boil and remove from heat. Stir in the softened gelatin sheets until completely melted, then pour the flavored cream into ramekins. Let come to room temperature before refrigerating for 6 hours or until completely set.
Makes 4 ramekins.
Until next time…
Tags: 100 Mysteries, Baking, Cowbell, dessert, Mark Cutrara, New Projects, panna cotta, pudding, Purveyors, Recipes, Restaurants, The Cheese Boutique
