“Fervet olla, vivit amicitia: While the pot boils, friendship endures.”
(Meaning the man who gives good dinners has plenty of friends).
Latin Proverb
My dream run in the kitchen continues…I’m lucky to have moulded family tastes to quite an extent that coffee is lapped up in any dessert avatar. As I mentioned the last time I made panna cotta, the delectable strawberry coulis delight, it wouldn’t be long before I made it again. Sure enough, the next time I had to make dessert, it was right back to my favourite, new Italian discovery! This time I hit the coffee trail with some chocolate ganache. Mmmmmmm…wait; then it got even better… added some freshly made almond praline to crown the glory. Incredibly alluring, deeply satisfying, silky smooth…in one word ‘ambrosial’ !!
For the panna cotta:
Cream – 400ml
Whole Milk – 1 cup
Sugar – 1/2 cup
Instant Coffee – 2 tbsp (acc to taste)
Cream – 400ml
Whole Milk – 1 cup
Sugar – 1/2 cup
Instant Coffee – 2 tbsp (acc to taste)
Gelatin – 1 1/2 tbsps
Water – 1/4 cup/warm
Water – 1/4 cup/warm
Digestive biscuits – 200gms / crushed
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Steep the coffee in 1/4 cup of the hot whole milk for 10-15 minutes to intensify the flavour.
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Combine the cream + remaining milk + sugar + coffee milk & simmer till it comes to a slow boil.
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In the meantime, warm the 1/4 cup water & sprinkle the gelatin over it & leave to soften.
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Take the milk/cream mixture off the heat. Whisk in the gelatin, strain & rest for 10-15 minutes.
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Take the serving bowls & line the bottoms with 2 tbsps of biscuit crumbs each, followed by a drizzle of ganache.
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Gently top each bowl with the coffee panna cotta. Chill for about 30 minutes, then top each bowl with some ganache, almond praline & finally a drizzle of melted dark chocolate.
- Leave to set/chill for 4 hours minimum.
To make the praline:
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Place a handful of whole almonds + a knob of butter + 2 tbsps of sugar in a bowl, & heat till the sugar starts bubbling & carmelizes.
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Turn onto a metal/steel plate & allow to cool. Break into a few whole almond bits, & roughly crush the remaining for the topping. Tastes really nice!
Luscious dessert…
