I was given chef moulds as a Christmas gift last year and this is the first time I am getting to use them. Iād had trouble in the past using other moulds, as there was nothing to push the food through and onto the plate, leaving me to have to use a knife around the edges, which ruins the effect. These moulds, however, come with a metal plate that you use to push the food through. As it turned out, I didnāt need it for this recipe because the finished piece slid out all by itself. I dare say that wonāt happen every time, so Iām happy that I have it on reserve.
If you enjoy the recipes here, please show your support for this blog by clicking on the ads to help keep the free content coming!
This dessert uses both frozen and fresh blackberries. You can use the combination, as I have, or you can use all frozen or all fresh, depending on the season and how available fresh blackberries are. Thankfully, supermarkets stock the frozen kind all year round. This also features agar agar, which is our vegan gelatine replacement and the ingredient that holds the dessert together. Just like gelatine, you need to simmer the agar agar to activate it. It will then thicken as it cools. If you are using moulds, you will have to make sure that the Panna Cotta is cooled enough to be quite thick before you spoon it in, otherwise it will simply (and rather frustratingly) pour out from underneath the mould, leaving you with a sticky mess and no dessert. You donāt have to use moulds to make this, dessert dishes will serve you just as well. The mould just makes it look all fancy.
Prep time: 25 minutes. Cooking time: 30 minutes, plus cooling time.
Makes 4
Gluten-Free
Ingredients:
For the Panna Cotta:
450g (2 punnets) fresh blackberries, leave a few aside for garnish
100g sugar
50ml orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
400ml vegan cream
4 extra tbsp sugar
1 Ā½ tsp agar agar powder
For the Blackberry Compote:
400g frozen blackberries
180g sugar
Method:
To make the Panna Cotta, put the blackberries, sugar and orange juice into a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until it has thickened.
Allow the mixture to cool a little and then pass it through a sieve into another bowl to produce a fine, strained sauce. Use the back of a spoon to press against the berries to pass as much through the sift as possible.
Clean out your saucepan and pour the strained sauce back into it, then bring it back to a simmer. Add the rest of the Panna Cotta ingredients, bring them all to a simmer again and then cook for about 3-4 minutes, whisking continuously. This will activate the agar agar. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool. This should take about 30 minutes and youāll need to keep coming back to whisk it as it thickens to prevent lumps from forming.
While it is cooling you can make your blackberry compote base. Put the frozen berries and sugar into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer rapidly for about 15 minutes, stirring often, until you have a thick, jam-like consistency. Turn off the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
If you are using moulds, line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper and then place 4 moulds on top. If you are using dishes, then just lay 4 out ready for use.
Spoon a little compote into the bottom of the moulds or dishes. Allow to set for 5 minutes or so and then spoon the Panna Cotta mixture on top. Fill to the top of the moulds or dishes, then allow to set fully in the fridge or freezer for at least 2 hours. You can freeze them entirely if you like, just give them 30 minutes or so to thaw before serving. Top with fresh or frozen blackberries to serve.
ORDER YOUR COPY OF MY LATEST COOKBOOK
VEGGING OUT FROM AMAZON
AVAILABLE IN BOTH PAPERBACK AND KINDLE FORMAT
Rhubarb and Blueberry Jam
This is a great recipe if you have some leftover rhubarb in your garden, in addition to some fresh blueberries, available now in most supermarkets if you donāt grow them. Itās the kind of thing you can throw together late one evening, as it only requires the occasional stir. You can then leave it toā¦
Caramelised Red Onion Dip
This is the perfect time of year to be experimenting with cold and light food. Easy items that you can store in the fridge and eat over a few days as the mood takes you. Dips are great for outdoor eating. You can put a selection of homemade dips on the table on any occasion,ā¦
Roasted Asparagus, Basil and Walnut Pesto Served with Baby Potatoes and Broad Beans
You can get asparagus imported all year round in most supermarkets, but British asparagus has its growth season between May and July, with early appearance often at the end of April. Now is the perfect time to make use to these green spears in your everyday cooking. My choice for this recipe was to roastā¦
Asparagus, Mushroom and Leek Pastries
April 23rd marks the start of asparagus season and we are now starting to see British asparagus appear on the shelves. Young asparagus is a thin and tender vegetable that is perfect for cooking a variety of dishes. It cooks quickly, so you must keep an eye on it. The more mature plant is thickerā¦
Vegan Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
What is it about a plate of plump vegan meatballs in a rich tomato sauce, nestled comfortably on a soft pillow of spaghetti that is so satisfying even before a single mouthful is taken? It is a dish where even the sight and smell of it has its own umami. It creates thrilling anticipation fromā¦
Vegan Enchiladas
To veganise something like Enchiladas now is incredibly easy with the variety of ingredients available in most supermarkets. For this one I have used fresh vegan mince, along with mushrooms and onions for the chilli base. Donāt worry if you donāt like eating vegan mince, you can always substitute this chilli for my Sweet Potato,ā¦
20
20
20
20
Well, it certainly seems to hold together perfectly! I remember making pannacotta in culinary school, trying to get it out of the mould smoothly was super intense lol. I love the colour of yours though, very nicely done (:
Thank you. I got lucky with the moulds in this one I think. We’ll see what happens next time!
Wonderful recipe! I love it!! š
Thank you.