Chocolate Panna Cotta

Panna Cotta always scares me, simmering milk, over boiling it. Oh the horror, I am sad to say that actually happened to me. I left the milk simmering and turn my head to check on something else and BOOM! the milk frothed over! But I have learned that with second tries and lower heat that you just have to stand there and simmer the milk on medium low heat and you would be all good. 

Panna cotta (means cooked cream in Italian) is an Italian dessert made by simmering together cream, milk and sugar, mixing with gelatine and letting it cool until it sets. I was inspired when I when to GiGi's Pizzeria, their pizza is great, but what blew me away was the Panna Cotta, ooh it's creamy and melts in your mouth with the slighted touch of your tongue. I decided to add some chocolate into the mix and wow, it works so well with the fresh golden kiwis.

Chocolate Panna Cotta

Serves: 4 

Cooking time: 20 mins 

Setting time: 6 hours min - 1 day 

What you will need

600ml thicken cream 

3 tablespoons caster sugar 

1 1/4 teaspoons flavourless gelatin powder

120g good dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate

3 teaspoons vanilla extract 

Pinch of salt 

1. Grease 4 panna cotta moulds with flavourless oil.

2. Use 60ml of cream and warmed in microwave   sprinkle the gelatine over it and stir until the gelatine dissolved.

3. Meanwhile, in a deep saucepan over medium low heat, bring the remaining cream, sugar and salt just to a light simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes, adding the vanilla extract and stir to combine. 

4. Remove cream mixture from the heat, add the chocolate and whisk until smooth. Add the gelatine mixture to the chocolate mixture and stir until well combined. Pour through a fine strainer and into the 4 panna cotta moulds. Let it cool to room temperature.

5. Cover the Panna cotta loosely and refrigerate until set and throughly chilled, at least 6 hours or up to 1 day. 

To Served, dip the moulds one at a time into a bowl of hot water for about 5 seconds to loosen the mould and invert onto a serving plate. Served with fresh fruits or sauce.