You have made it through the entree, munched down the main… then you arrive at dessert time and you are feeling more like a lie down on the sofa than chomping through another meal. Not to fear! This fresh little dessert provides a yummy finish to any meal and can be made even outside of the berry season, using frozen berries. I can hear my idol Chef Theirry Marx right now, shaking his head in disappointment, but let’s be honest, we can always cook seasonal produce… And yes, Chef Marx, you are my ultimate hero.
Ingredients (serves 2)
For the berry pana cotta
- 1 and a half cups of mixed berries pureed(fresh or frozen: blue berries, red currents, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries)
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1 cup of cream
- 3 sheets of gelatin
- 2 large tablespoons of vanilla sugar
For the crunchy almond cream caramel
- 1/4 cup of sugar
- 50 ml of cream
- 1/2 cup of blanched almonds
For the berry coolie
- 1 cup of mixed berries, mashed
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- A dash of berry liquor
Other stuff
- 4 strawberries
- 4 rows of milk chocolate
- Passionfruit sorbet
Method
- Start with your panna cotta by placing the berries and sugar in a pot and heat until simmering
- Add the milk and cream and simmer for a few minutes
- Mean while, place the gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water to soften
- Next, remove the berry cream mix from the heat, squeeze the excess water from the gelatin sheets and stir through the berries until dissolved
- Pour into 2 ramekins and place in the fridge for a couple of hours or until set
- Next, prepare your crunchy cream caramel by bring the cream and the sugar to the boil in a small pot
- Leave to simmer until it turns golden, then remove from heat and stir through almonds
- Place the mixture on a sheet of baking paper, cover with another sheet and roll smooth and flat using a rolling pin. Place in the fridge on a flat surface
- Next prepare the coolie by placing the mashed berries in a pot and bringing to a simmer, add the sugar and liquor
- Remove from heat and place in fridge
- Now, using a bain marie, melt the chocolate and dip in the strawberries to coat, place on baking paper and put them in the fridge
- Lastly, using the remainder of the melted chocolate, swirl onto baking paper and place in fridge to set
- By this time everything should be all ready! Remove the crunching almond cream caramel and break into two large pieces and multiple smaller pieces
- Tip out the panna cotta onto the almond sheet, cover with coolie and top with the chocolate and more broken almond pieces
- Add your strawberries and using two spoons shape your passionate fruit sorbet
- Dig in and enjoy!!