Recipe: Peaches and cream panna cotta

make the compote

I made this recently as a dessert special and the response was outstanding.  I like how the peaches and cream manage to stay separate while sharing the same espresso cup.  You begin by making your way through the silky and mellow cream top, then break into to the delicious peach compote beneath.  I garnished it with a little peach coulis and a raspberry and gave a couple brandied cherries on the side - it seemed like an Okanagan type of thing to do.  This recipe gave me 15 espresso cups with only a little panna cotta mix left over, so you could easily get 6 - 8 portions in a normal dessert ramekin.  The freezing stage is important to keep a clean division between the peaches and the cream - if you don't, you will inadvertently mix the two as you pour in the panna cotta mix.

add the compote to the cups

You will need:

For the compote:

650g /  23oz                     peeled and pitted peaches

60ml / 1/4C                      water

30ml / 2Tbs                      honey

30ml / 2Tbs                      sugar

pinch                                kosher salt

For the panna cotta:

500ml / 2C                      milk

heat the cream mixture

500ml / 2C                      cream

15ml / 1Tbs                    vanilla

60ml / 1/4C                     sugar

6 sheets                           gelatin

Method:

 - take 500g / 17.5oz of the peaches, cut them up and put them in a pan with the water, honey, sugar, and salt

 - quickly bring to a simmer to form the compote, but don't cook too long

 - strain off  some of the syrup

 - use the syrup to puree the rest of the peaches in a blender until smooth

melt in the gelatin

 - divide the chunky peache compote among the cups

 - go back with the peach puree and add to the cups to cover the chunks

 - place the cups in the freezer at least until the top of the compote is firm

 - soak the gelatin in cold water until soft, then drain the water off

 - mix the milk, cream, vanilla and sugar in a pot and just barely bring to a simmer

 - melt the gelatin into the hot mix

 - allow the mix to cool slightly (so you don't melt the compote as you pour it in the cup)

 - gently pour the mix over the compote to fill the cups

 - transfer to the fridge and allow to set up overnight

 - serve

fill the cups