Raymond Blanc Panna Cotta Food

VANILLA PANNA COTTA

Steps:

• For the panna cotta, soak the gelatine leaves in a little cold water until soft.
• Place the milk, cream, vanilla pod and seeds and sugar into a pan and bring to a simmer. Remove the vanilla pod and discard.
• Squeeze the water out of the gelatine leaves, then add to the pan and take off the heat. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved.
• Divide the mixture among four ramekins and leave to cool. Place into the fridge for at least an hour, until set.
• For the sauce, place the sugar, water and cherry liqueur into a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved.
• Take the pan off the heat and add half the raspberries. Using a hand blender, blend the sauce until smooth.
• Pass the sauce through a sieve into a bowl and stir in the remaining fruit.
• To serve, turn each panna cotta out onto a serving plate. Spoon over the sauce and garnish with a sprig of mint. Dust with icing sugar.

MANGO PANNA COTTA

Steps:

• To prepare the mango layer. place mango nectar in a heat proof bowl and sprinkle gelatin on top. Gently stir until well incorporated. Set mixture sit for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a blender, puree the mango flesh until smooth. Transfer to a large measuring cup with beaker. Place the gelatin mixture in the microwave and heat for 1 minute on high. Stir until gelatin completely dissolved. Pour gelatin mixture into the mango puree and stir well.
• Prepare 8 (6-ounce) individual serving glasses and place them in a mini muffin pan (or you can also use egg carton) at an angle. Carefully pour the mango mixture into each glass until almost to the edge of each glass.
• Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or until set.
• To prepare the Vanilla Bean Layer, In a small sauce pan, place milk and sprinkle gelatin on top. Give it a quick stir and let mixture sit for 10 minutes. When 10 minutes is up, turn on heat to low, sugar and salt. Stir and heat until gelatin completely dissolved.
• Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla bean paste. Place the heavy cream in a large measuring cup with a beaker. Pour in the milk/gelatin mixture. Give it a quick stir.
• To assemble:.
• Take the individual cups out of the fridge with the mango layer already set. Then, pour the vanilla bean mixture into each cup.
• Return to the refrigerator to chill for another 2 hours, or until set. To serve, top each cup with a few fresh mango cubes for garnish and enjoy.

VANILLA PANNA COTTA WITH CARAMELISED ORANGE

Steps:

• Place the gelatine and milk in a pan, then leave it to one side to soak. Meanwhile, place the orange zest, vanilla pods and sugar in a pan. Add 800ml of the cream, then bring to the boil. Simmer until the mixture is reduced by one-third. While the cream is reducing, remove the gelatine from the milk, set aside, then warm the milk. When it is warm, add the soaked gelatine and stir until completely dissolved. Add to the warm cream, pass through a sieve, then leave to cool.
• Lightly whip the remaining cream, then fold into the setting mixture. Pour the mixture into a 1-litre pudding bowl, then place in the fridge to set for at least 5 hrs.
• While the panna cotta is setting, make the sauce for the orange salad. Tip the sugar into a non-stick pan, then place on the heat to cook down to a caramel. Pour in the Grand Marnier and orange juice - this will make the caramel harden, so just simmer on a low heat, stirring, until it's dissolved to a syrupy consistency. Remove from the heat.
• Take the panna cotta out of the fridge, slide a knife around the edge of the bowl and dip very briefly in hot water to loosen. Tip the panna cotta into the middle of a plate, then arrange the orange segments around it. Spoon the orangey sauce over the panna cotta and oranges, then scatter over the zest.

COCONUT PANNA COTTA WITH MANGO & GINGER NUTS

Steps:

• Pour the coconut milk into a saucepan and warm over a medium-high heat for about 20 mins, stirring frequently so it doesn't catch, until reduced by about a quarter (you need around 600ml remaining). Stir in the caster sugar to dissolve, then pour in the double cream. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 10 mins. Squeeze out any excess liquid, then add to the coconut milk mixture, stirring until the gelatine has dissolved completely.
• Divide the mixture between six-eight ramekins (about 140ml each) and set aside until the mixture has cooled. Chill for at least 3 hrs until set, or overnight.
• Put the ginger nuts in a sandwich bag and use the end of a rolling pin to crush them to a rough powder. Divide the mixture between six to eight small plates, spreading thinly.
• Prepare a bowl of warm water and dip the ramekins in to loosen the edges. Carefully turn them upside down in the middle of each plate and tap gently until freed.
• Add a couple of mango slices beside each panna cotta, and sprinkle over the lime zest. Serve straightaway.

PASSION FRUIT & COCONUT PANNA COTTA

Steps:

• Halve 6 of the passion fruit and scoop out the pulp into a saucepan. Add the cream, coconut cream, caster sugar and lemon juice, heat everything together, then gently boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. When the cream is just simmering, scoop out about 100ml into a small bowl and scatter over the gelatine. Stir until dissolved, stir back into the saucepan, then take off the heat. Press through a sieve into a jug, then pour the mixture into 4 individual mini pudding basins. Leave to set in the fridge for at least 4 hrs until completely set.
• Meanwhile, halve and scoop the rest of the passion fruit through a sieve into a bowl. Mix to sweeten with the icing sugar, add 1 tbsp of the seeds from the sieve back into the sauce, then stir to mix. Can be made up to 2 days in advance and chilled.
• To serve, briefly dip the panna cotta moulds into hot water until they just loosen at the sides, then invert onto serving plates. Spoon the sauce around the plates and serve.

COCONUT PANNA COTTA WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA

Steps:

• Pour the coconut milk and milk into a saucepan, then add the sugar. Split the vanilla pod in half and scrape out the seeds, then add to the pan with the empty pod. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 5 mins.
• Spoon 200ml of the hot mixture into a small bowl. Shake over the gelatine and whisk into the mixture until dissolved. If you have difficulty dissolving the gelatine, return the mixture to a gentle heat for 1-2 mins. See know-how below).Stir into the rest of the coconut mixture, discarding the vanilla pod. Pour into 6 x 200ml metal dariole moulds and place in the fridge for at least 2 hrs until firm with a slight wobble. Can be made up to 2 days ahead.
• For the salsa, tip the sugar and ginger slices into a small saucepan and pour over 100ml water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for another 5-10 mins until it turns slightly syrupy and light golden. Leave to cool, then discard the ginger slices. The syrup can be made up to 1 week in advance.
• To serve, dip each dariole mould into boiling water for a moment to loosen the panna cotta, then turn onto a serving late. Arrange the sliced pineapple beside each panna cotta and scatter with chopped chilli. Drizzle with ginger syrup to finish.