Panna cotta is a no-brainer, sweetened cream thickened with gelatin. It has long been made with whatever dairy is around, and I think it’s far better when a certain amount of the cream is replaced by buttermilk. The result is more complex and not so stultifyingly rich.
Ingredients
makes 4 to 6 servings
Step 1
Put 1/2 cup of the buttermilk in a medium saucepan with a lid and sprinkle the gelatin over it; let sit for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and cook, stirring, until the gelatin dissolves completely.
Step 2
Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and add both seeds and pod to the pot along with all the remaining ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until steam arises from the pot, 5 to 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover, and steep for 15 to 30 minutes.
Step 3
Remove the vanilla pod and pour the mixture into 4 large or 6 small custard cups. Chill until set, about 4 hours. Serve in the cups or dip the cups in hot water for about 10 seconds each, then invert onto plates. Serve within 24 hours of making it.
Blancmange (England)
Step 4
Popular in England though clearly French in origin, blancmange (pronounced, in England at least, “blahmanj”) is a subtly flavored custard made in the manner of panna cotta: Substitute whole milk for the buttermilk and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract for the vanilla bean. Grind 1 cup lightly toasted blanched almonds with the whole milk in a food processor until finely chopped but not pureed. Transfer the mixture to a fine-mesh strainer lined with a triple thickness of cheesecloth and squeeze out the milk. Discard the solids. Proceed as directed, adding the almond extract in step 1 and skipping the steeping in step 2.
Tembleque (Caribbean)
Step 5
Tembleque is a popular Caribbean custard traditionally made with coconutmilk and cornstarch. But it’s easier and better when made with gelatin à la panna cotta. Substitute 3 cups coconut milk (either homemade, page 584, or canned) for the buttermilk and cream and omit the vanilla bean (or substitute a dash of orange-flower water for the vanilla). Dissolve the gelatin in 1/2 cup coconut milk, as directed in step 1, combine it with the remainder of the coconut milk (omit the orange-flower water), and skip the steeping and proceed to step 3. Garnish the unmolded custards with a dusting of ground cinnamon just before serving.
Leave a Review
