Written By Catherine Parrott

Perhaps a dessert everyone ignores because if done unimaginatively, it’s just wobbly milk. But done well, a Panna Cotta is a wonderfully decadent thing. This Panna Cotta is richer than a typical Panna Cotta made just with cream, and I’ve paired it with a chocolate soil for texture. Best served straight from the fridge and consumed within seconds.

RECIPE:

MILK CHOCOLATE PANNA COTTA:

  • 3 LEAVES OF GELATINE

  • 500ml DOUBLE CREAM

  • 100g CASTER SUGAR (Chocolate is the hero flavour here, we don’t need to mess around with darker sugars in my opinion)

  • 100g MILK CHOCOLATE (Buttons or roughly chop up your favourite bar- IF YOU WOULDN’T EAT IT, DON’T BAKE WITH IT)

  • 200ml BUTTERMILK (Sour cream or looser plain yoghurts- not Greek- work well in chocolate panna cottas)

DARK CHOCOLATE SOIL:

  • 100g CASTER SUGAR

  • 20ml WATER

  • 75g FINELY CHOPPED DARK CHOCOALTE (70-75% Cocoa solids)

BEFORE YOU START:

  • Set aside 6 serving glasses (because this recipe makes 6 YO)

METHODS:

FOR THE MILK CHOCOLATE PANNA COTTA…

In a bowl of ice-cold water, separate the leaves of gelatine and submerge completely until they have softened. Drain from the liquid and leave until needed.

Heat together the cream and sugar until it reaches the steaming point (steam is seen at the surface but it hasn’t reached boiling point). Add the gelatine and mix until dissolved.

Pour the hot liquid over the chocolate, leave for minute (Leaving the mixture to melt the chocolate means that you don’t need to mix it too much to emulsify, overmixing can incorporate air bubbles which will affect the texture and appearance of your dessert) , then whisk together until smooth. Finish by mixing in the buttermilk. Pour into your serving glasses and allow to set for at least 2 hours in the fridge. 

FOR THE CHOCOLATE SOIL…

Making sure you have your chocolate chopped ready and a bowl for the finished soil(Everything happens very quickly once the cooked sugar and chocolate are combined and I’ve panicked many times which has caused soil to end up everywhere.), bring the sugar and water to a boil.

Cook the syrup until you see the edges begin to turn amber, turn off the heat and add the chocolate all in one go, whisk as the chocolate crystalises, empty into a bowl once its clumped up and leave to cool(This Chocolate soil will keep for a few weeks in the cupboard once made.)

TO SERVE: Sprinkle your panna cotta with the chocolate soil and serve with fresh berries

Catherine Parrott
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