Showing posts with label Cream. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cream. Show all posts

Tuesday, 8 July 2014

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.



Monday, 31 March 2014

Spaghetti Boscaiola

Spaghetti Boscaiola


I have read so many good food blogs lately, and decided to make one myself. The name reflects how I feel all the time after a good meal or desert. My favourite food is bacon, mushrooms and chocolate, I firmly believe that any recipe is better with either one added.


This is one of my favourite go-to-recipes for my quick night meal, which includes both mushrooms and bacon. When you are home from a long day of work and you want something warm, comforting and familiar.



Spaghetti Boscaiola

5 rashers of bacon, thinly sliced
40g of butter
400g swiss mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 green shallots, thinly sliced
425ml (1 3/4 cups) pouring cream
handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
30g (1/3 cup) shredded parmesan, to serve



Boil some water and season the water generously and cook pasta following the packet directions until al dente.

Place the bacon into a cold pan and turn the heat to medium high.

Let the bacon fat render out and become crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon (remove some bacon fat if you prefer less oily)

Melt the butter in the same pan. Sauté the mushrooms , season with salt and pepper. Add shallots and bacon, stir to mix.

Stir in cream, season and simmer for 5mins or until sauce is reduced  slightly.

Drain the pasta and return to hot pan. Pour over the sauce and add parsley, toss til combined. Served with parmesan cheese.