Panna Cotta
Italian is a language which does not hint – it shouts upfront. Food language is no different. It tells you exactly what you are eating and practically explains how it is made.
Take “panna cotta” for example: this delicate dessert is made simply with cream cooked on the stove, thickened up with gelatin, and then flavoured with vanilla. And this is why one should beware of those recipes which require not only cream but also milk. Milk is not necessary. Of course it turns it into something lighter but the risk is also that it thickens up with more difficulty, thus needing more gelatin that can make it chewy and rubbery. Don’t worry about calories and go for this.
Soak the gelatin in cold water. Pour the cream in a pan, add vanilla and sugar and let it dissolve on a medium heat. Bring it to the boil stirring continually and let it bubble for 3-5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool down slightly. Squeeze the gelatin and add it to the cream. Turn quickly for a few minutes until the gelatin has been absorbed in the cream. Transfer the cream into individual ramekins previously oiled. Leave in the fridge for at least 4 hours. You can add any sauce you like – as well as using any type of fruit to go with it. I love it with strawberries. Very classic.
