Panna Cotta, Ooh La La!

It has been on my mind for the past two weeks to try making the traditional Pietmontese specialty - panna cotta. In Italian, panna cotta literally means “cooked cream”. And cooking cream I was, in my kitchen last night. You will find out why later.

I decided the ingredients were simple enough and I should be able to keep my grocery shopping to thirty minutes. Guess what, it took me an hour and I still did not manage to complete my shopping list. For the uninitiated, choosing the right brand of cream can be a challenge. I eventually settled for Bulla Pure Cream as I noticed the label screamed “45% fat” which I just assumed it contained less fat (I am sure most women like me who wear pretty dresses to work can identify with this neuroticism). I had not managed to find sweet basil leaves which was listed in the recipe. Immediately I had thought of replacing this item with mint leaves instead. Alas, this supermarket only promotes “fair price”, but not “complete offerings”. I left with neither basil nor mint leaves.

Back in the kitchen, I started with making the custard first. After emptying 4 full cups of PURE CREAM into the pot, I knew in my mind that I could never bring myself to reveal to the food tasters what the custard was really made of – it would definitely cause a revolt! I was literally cooking cream for the next 10 minutes. Halfway through stirring the mixture in the pot, it suddenly dawned on me that I had left out the vanilla seeds in my shopping list. *Panicked*. The closest replacement I have in my cupboard was the bottle of Amaretto (almond liquer) which I used for making the chocolate truffles last Christmas. “Oh great,” I was thinking, “ finally I found another use for it.”

Next I went on to make the strawberry salsa which was a pretty sight after all the ingredients were mix well together. I made 6 cups of panna cotta and drenched the mixture above it after letting it set for an hour.

Garnishing could be as simple as topping the creation with a strawberry and sprinkle with icing or you can add a piece of dark chocolate with a mint leave for a touch of sophistication.

After this stint, I still find making food no mean feat at all. Well, as with anything, practice makes perfect. (Coupled with the passion for food of course!)

Time to enjoy my labour of love.