Orange Panna Cotta Recipe
Panna Cotta is really quite easy to make. In this recipe, Thierry uses gelatin sheets -- instead of gelatin powder. You can use either -- although once you try gelatin sheets, I think you will be hooked. Thierry serves this panna cotta with Pomegranate Sorbet.
Recipe adapted from Thierry's cookbook, Rover's - Recipes from Seattle's Chef in the Hat (Ten Speed Press, 2005)
Directions:
1. Lightly oil eight 1/2-cup ramekins, cups or other small dishes with rice bran oil.
2. Combine the milk, cream, sugar and vanilla beans in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to help the sugar dissolves.
3. Stir in the orange zest and orange flower water, remove the pan from the heat, and set aside and let the flavors infuse for 30 minutes.
4. Break gelatin sheets into pieces and soften in a bowl of cold water for 5-10 minutes, then drain.
5. Add the softened gelatin sheets to the warm cream, stirring until it is thoroughly melted.
6. Strain the cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then run the vanilla bean halves between our thumb and forefinger to remove as many of the tiny, flavorful seeds as possible and add to the cream mixture.
7. Stir in the Grand Marnier and ladle the mixture into the prepared ramekins.
8. Let cool to room temperature, then cover each dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the panna cotta sets, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
9. To serve, warm the bottom of one of the ramekins with a dish towel warmed in hot water.
10. Set the ramekin upside down on a chilled serving plate and shake to help unmold it. Place small rounded scoop of pomegranate sorbet.
Serves 8