Ask a Chef reveals the secrets of those superb dishes you ate in cafes and restaurants and wanted to try yourself.
Caramel panna cotta
Ingredients
300g caster sugar
600ml cream
150ml milk
3¼ leaves gelatine
2 vanilla pods
Method
Take 200gm of the sugar and put in a pan with 100ml water, bring to the boil and allow the syrup to bubble until it reaches a nice caramel colour, 175degC on a sugar thermometer. Do not stir while it is bubbling.
As soon as the caramel is ready, remove from heat and let it cool a bit. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the warm caramel into 6 dariole moulds.
Put the cream, milk and vanilla pods (slice in half and scrape out seeds into pot) in a pot and slowly bring to the boil. Once boiled, turn down to simmer for 3 minutes then turn off and let infuse for half an hour.
Meanwhile, put the gelatine leaves into a bowl of cold water and allow to soak for 10 minutes until they soften, then drain off all the water.
Bring the cream back to the boil and add the remaining 100g sugar and allow the sugar to dissolve. Take off heat and add the gelatine and stir well until dissolved.
Slowly pour in the cream to the top of the dariole moulds. Chill until set (about 12 hours).
To serve, dip the dariole moulds in hot water for a few seconds then pull the set cream away from the sides of the mould. Invert and shake out on to individual dessert plates. Serve with orange, grapefruit and mandarin segments.
Recipe supplied by Compass Group executive head chef Michael Tomlinson, caterers based at Forsyth Barr stadium.
Requested by Karen Chapman, of Dunedin.
If you have enjoyed a dish in an Otago cafe or restaurant and would like the recipe, write to Ask a Chef, Features, Otago Daily Times, PO Box 181, Dunedin, fax 474-7422, or email odt.features@odt.co.nz, including your name, address and a daytime telephone number, and we will request it.
