IRISH CREAM PANNA COTTA WITH CHOCOLATE COFFEE BEANS
PANNA COTTA ALLA CREMA IRLANDESE
Serves 4 Preparation time 20-25 minutes, plus chilling (at least 5 hours) Cooking time 5-10 minutes
“I created this recipe especially for my mother, Alba. She absolutely loved Irish cream liqueur. Growing up, she would whip up a traditional vanilla panna cotta for us all on a weekend as a treat – but as soon as she tried this recipe, it became her signature dish, not mine. If you prefer it the traditional way, substitute the liqueur for 100ml more milk and add a vanilla pod and its seeds when cooking the cream… but I’m pretty sure, once you try this dish, you will never go back!”
INGREDIENTS
• 100ml/4fl oz whole milk
• 300ml/½pt double cream
• 100ml/4fl oz Irish cream liqueur
• 50g/2oz caster sugar
• 2 gelatine leaves, or enough to set 400ml/14fl oz of liquid (check the instructions on the packet)
• Cocoa powder, to dust (optional)
• 8 chocolate-coated coffee beans
1. Pour the milk, cream, liqueur and sugar into a small saucepan and warm gently over a low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves and the cream starts to lightly bubble at the sides of the saucepan – about 6 minutes. Do not boil the milk. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, place the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes. Squeeze them dry, then stir the gelatine leaves into the cream mixture until completely dissolved.
3. Divide the mixture between
4 x 175ml/6oz moulds (or you can use ramekins or even cleaned-out yoghurt pots, if you like), cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 5 hours.
4. To serve, dust 4 plates with a little cocoa powder, or use a dark plate so the panna cotta will stand out. Dip the moulds into warm water for 20 seconds (make sure you don’t get any of the water in the panna cottas), then carefully turn out onto the prepared plates. Place 2 chocolate-coated coffee beans on top of each and serve.
‘I created this recipe for my mother, Alba. She loved Irish cream liqueur’