Vanilla Panna Cotta

Yields: 6 portions

INGREDIENTS

Vanilla Panna Cotta
300ml Rich cream
300ml Milk
90g Caster sugar
100g White couverture chocolate
8g Leaf gelatine
1 Vanilla bean

Lime Syrup
200g Sugar
200ml Water
2 Limes
1 Cinnamon stick

Plating suggestions
Lime zest
Strawberries, washed and roughly chopped
Raspberries
Raspberry curd
Meringue bulbs, dried
Chantilly cream
Sweet pastry or streusel, crushed

Micro herbs or edible flowers

METHOD

Vanilla Panna Cotta
1. Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of water for 5-10 minutes, or until soft. Using a sharp knife, split the vanilla bean in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds.
2. In a saucepan, boil the cream, milk, sugar and vanilla seeds over a medium heat. Taking the saucepan off the heat, carefully stir in the white chocolate. Then add the soaked gelatine, leaving out any excess water and stir until dissolved and combined.
3. Strain the mixture into a bowl using a sieve and leave to cool slightly. Pour into x6 lightly greased dariole moulds or ramekins and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Lime Syrup
Zest and juice the limes. Boil the sugar, water, zest an cinnamon in a saucepan on a medium heat and reduce until a syrup consistency. Add lime juice to taste.

Plating
To serve, gently remove each panna cotta from the moulds upside down onto a serving dish or plate. Around the base of each panna cotta, carefully place an arrangement of fresh strawberries, raspberries and meringue bulbs. Use a piping bag to decorate with raspberry curd and a star nozzle to pipe the Chantilly cream. Crumble some sweet pastry or streusel around the dessert and finish with some micro herbs or edible flowers.

Bon Appétit!