Panna Cotta

This is very easy; just be careful to fully dissolve the gelatine and allow enough time to fully set.

  • 1 pt (20 fl oz) single cream, or 1/2 and 1/2 whole milk and double cream
  • 3 leaves gelatine (or 1 packet powder)
  • 30g/1 oz sugar
  • 1 vanilla pod, or 1 tsp vanilla extract

First, soak the gelatine in a couple of tablespoons of cold water for a few minutes; always add the water to the gelatine, not the other way around. While it is soaking, mix the creams with sugar and the seed from the vanilla pod (or the extract), and bring to boiling point. Take the cream off the heat, and add the gelatine and dissolve; take a couple of minutes making sure that no small granules remain (if you used powder).

Put the warm cream mix in a 1.5 pint dish and chill in the fridge; it will take 1-2 hours to set fully.

Raspberry Sauce

  • 340g/12 oz frozen or fresh raspberries
  • 180ml/6 fl oz water
  • 170g/6 oz sugar
  • dash of kirsch

Bring the water and sugar (and kirsch) to the boil until the syrup is fully dissolved. Take off the heat and cool. Add half the raspberries; if they are frozen, this will cool the syrup quickly. Blend in a blender or with a stick blender, then sieve. Cool the syrup.

Serve the panna cotta with the raspberry syrup and some whole raspberries.