Panna Cotta with Passion fruit Jelly

Panna Cotta is an Italian dessert which literally means cooked cream.  It is generally believed to have originated in the Northern Italian region of Piedmont, although it is eaten all over Italy. Apparently similar versions of this dish are found in Greece, France and Finland. Wherever it is from, it is definitely one of the easiest and best tasting desserts that I know of...and I know quite a few!

According to Wikipedia ' It is not known exactly how or when this dessert came to be, but some theories suggest that cream, for which mountainous Northern Italy is famous, was historically eaten plain or sweetened with fruit or hazelnuts. Earlier recipes for the dish did not directly mention gelatin, but instead included a step in which fish bones were boiled; this is now known to extract collagen from the bones, which turns to gelatin.' (Okay that is totally disgusting). 'Sugar, later a main ingredient, would not have been widely available as it was an expensive imported commodity.' (No sugar!!! What the hell kind of dessert did they have? Thank God sugar is easily available now and is not expensive).

If I had known they originally used fish bones to make gelatin I wouldn't have gone anywhere near this dish. But those were the days when they didn't have packed gelatin and didn't even use sugar, so I might forgive them. Now life is a lot easier, you don't have to sweat it in front of a stove boiling fish bones to make gelatin when it is easily available in any store. You can buy powdered gelatin ( which I use) or gelatin leaves ( which I would have used if I could find them!). Either way it doesn't take any effort.

As for the recipe there are several versions that you can find on the internet, including some very weird flavors too. The best thing would be to get the basic recipe right and then dabble in your favorite flavors. My favorite recipe is from David Lebovitz. It's simple and straightforward, not to mention earth-shattering-ly wonderful in your mouth. I always love Passion Fruit and vanilla together. One very bold and tart and sweet (passion fruit) , while the other is mild and exotic and velvety (vanilla). The bold flavor of passion fruit complements the mild flavor of the vanilla and together they make the perfect dessert.

The first time I made panna cotta with passion fruit jelly, I set them in small glasses. I turned them onto plates with a very satisfying plop! heaped on a tablespoon of passion fruit granita and served it to the hungry horde.

In December I made these in several large dishes for a family function and at the end of the day (or rather night) not a scrap was left. So yummy they are. I am sure you'll enjoy them too. If you’re pressed for time, pour the Panna Cotta mixture into wine goblets so you can serve them in the glasses, without unmolding.

Panna Cotta with Passion fruit jelly Eight servings

Passion Fruit Jelly

2 teaspoons powdered gelatine
2 tablespoons water
300ml water, extra
½ cup (110g) white sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 cups (500ml) passion fruit pulp (I like to keep the seeds, they provide a nice crunch to the jelly and i always use a little extra pulp)

Lightly grease eight drinking glasses or one large mould with any flavorless oil.
Soften the gelatine in the water and set aside. Place the extra water and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat and stir, brushing down the sides of the saucepan, until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the orange juice, passionfruit pulp and gelatine mixture and strain. Pour into prepared glasses and refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. 

You will need about 24 passionfruit for 2 cups pulp

Panna Cotta
4 cups (1l) heavy cream (or half-and-half)
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (I recommend the vanilla bean, for extra oomph! It definitely makes the panna cotta more velvety).
2 packets powdered gelatin (about 4 1/2 teaspoons)
6 tablespoons (90ml) cold water

1. Heat the heavy cream and sugar in a saucepan or microwave. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

(If using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds from the bean into the cream and add the bean pod. Cover, and let infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the bean then rewarm the mixture before continuing.)

2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a medium-sized bowl and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Pour the very warm Panna Cotta mixture over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Allow to cool slightly.

4. Divide the Panna Cotta mixture into the glasses with the already set Passion fruit jelly carefully, then chill them until firm, which will take at least two hours but I let them stand at least four hours.

5. Run a sharp knife around the edge of each Panna Cotta and unmold each onto a serving plate, and garnish as desired. Food fit for the Gods (and you n me) is ready to be devoured... :)

To make Panna Cotta with sheet gelatin: Soften 25g (approximately six sheets) in a liter of cold water for 5 to 10 minutes. Wring the sheets out and stir them into the warm Panna Cotta mixture in step # 4, until dissolved.
If you've got time and patience, use long shot glasses and place them slightly tilted in muffin tins and set the passion fruit jelly first, so you have a swirly pattern in your glass. Once set, pour the panna cotta mixture with your glasses straight and refrigerate till set. You can make several such layers too. It makes a visually stunning panna cotta.

By the way, I was supposed to post this last month, sorry for the delay!
Until next time, Happy Baking!

So much for my steely resolve...

People who want to lose weight really shouldn't know how to cook, let alone make wonderful, full of calorie- desserts! I really hate myself right now. When I left home last month, I'd promised myself that I wouldn't bake or make anything that was loaded with calories, because, to quote my cousin Tanya- I put on weight if I breathe too much! And I've been pretty strong too, for someone who has a serious sweet tooth (and also has Anand sweets right opposite her house!). I stuck to a no rice diet, exercised religiously and even went to yoga thrice a day sometimes (overzealous much!). But two days ago, my steely resolve flew out the window as did the promise not to eat anything sweet.

It all started with the half finished loaf of bread in the fridge (damn you half finished bread loaf!). Last month, when I was home, I had this mad craving for bread pudding. I know what you'll think; of all things in the whole wide world, I wanted bread pudding. But it's not any ordinary soggy bread pudding I wanted, it was Nigella's Chocolate chip bread pudding! And the way she describes it get's your mouth watering. Since I didn't have all the ingredients she used, I made up my own recipe and the result an amazingly soft, crisp on top, slightly soggy at the bottom bread pudding with melting chocolate chips! Two days ago, I spied some bread in the fridge and I decided to make some again, since Tanya's just got braces for her teeth and can only eat soft food...and what better soft food than bread pudding. Again most of the stuff we needed, we didn't have them and we borrowed from our very nice neighbours. And once again the recipe doesn't fail and I have three adoring fans.I don't have a picture to upload coz it was finished so fast.

Soaked bread cubes packed with chocolate chips

After the bread pudding I was guilt ridden. I know I shouldn't have, but then I couldn't. And then I made Panna Cotta with Passion fruit jelly yesterday! I'd promised my aunt whose a vegetarian that I'd make something she could eat, so the panna cotta. The best part about it, well other than that it was fantastic, was that I told that idiot boy (read cousin Tushar) that I ate all the passion fruit! Bazinga! He ate most of the passion fruit without sharing, so I'd say he deserved it ( well, apparently not enough...coz he got a share of the panna cotta). Any way, I ate that too...so I have to do some extra exercise (youch). Here's a picture of the damn panna cotta with passion fruit jelly.

I love this...don't you?

Oh and here's a picture with my cousins Tanya and Tanu 

the one in black's Tanya, the pink lady's Tanu...The other one's obviously me the pretty one! :D

And now the recipe...I know Anton Mosimann's bread pudding is the best (or so I hear, I've actually never tasted it or attempted to make it either). But until I do, (or probably even after I taste Anton's) this is the most amazing bread pudding! EVER!

My version of Chocolate Bread Pudding with Chocolate Chips

Ingredients

250g - Stale bread (either white or brown) with the crust on, cut into cubes

100g - Chocolate chips ( dark or milk chocolate), I always add extra

2 eggs, at room temperature

500 ml full fat milk

1 tbsp - brown sugar (light or dark)

1/4 cup - granulated white sugar

1 tbsp - good quality cocoa powder

2 tsp - vanilla extract

2 tbsp - dark rum, optional

1 tbsp - freshly brewed strong coffee, optional

1 tsp - cinnamon powder

4 tsp - demerara sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Tip the cubed stale bread onto a greased round pie dish (approx. 23cm). Sprinkle the chocolate chips on and make sure to mix it well with the bread, so that they're evenly distributed.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, brown sugar, granulated white sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, cinnamon powder, rum (if using) and coffee (if using), until all the sugar is dissolved. Pour this mixture over the bread and chocolate chips.

3. Squish the bread cubes down slightly using your fingers and allow it to soak for 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Sprinkle on the demerara sugar over the pudding mixture and bake for 30 - 40 minutes.

Serve hot with whipped cream or ice cream, or else just enjoy it as it is with a cup of coffee.

*If your bread isn't stale, then leave slices to dry first, for a while, on a wire rack before cubing and using.

Until next time (I will tell you about my love for Chuck Hughes)...Happy Baking!