An amazingly simple Italian dessert: panna meaning cream and cotta meaning cooked, that's almost all there is to it. The minimal time spent over the stove makes it a perfect summer choice, although it requires some forethought - 12 hours of chilling time in the fridge. The richness of this lightly-sweetened cream dish pairs wonderfully with another Italian delicacy, miele cotta - cooked honey sauce. Any high quality honey makes a beautiful miele cotta, and it is a great recipe for reviving crystallized honey.
Panna Cotta
*Panna cotta recipe inspired by Saveur's Italian Comfort Food cookbook.
Ingredients:
2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream
1 1⁄2 tsp. powdered gelatin
1⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄2 split vanilla bean
Instructions:
Place 3 tablespoons of the chilled heavy cream in a small bowl.
Sprinkle with powdered gelatin, and let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, combine the remaining heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla bean. Bring just to a boil, whisking frequently, over medium-high heat.
Vigorously stir the gelatin mixture before adding it to the saucepan. Remove from heat, and whisk for 1 minute.
Strain mixture through a fine sieve. Evenly divide between four 1-cup custard molds (or old jam and honey jars), cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
If you prefer to serve without molds: gently pull panna cotta away from the sides, using a paring knife or your fingers. Invert onto a small plate and shake to loosen.
Miele Cotta
Although the panna cotta must be prepared in advance, the miele cotta is better made just before serving. Make the sauce one to two hours before so that it may cool before drizzling it over the dessert.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup honey, any varietal
Instructions:
Place honey in a small saucepan and heat over low flame.
Allow the honey to come to a boil - be careful not to burn it - then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for another minute.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Serve spooned over panna cotta with fresh fruit or berries.
