United Cakedom: panna cotta

Showing posts with label panna cotta. Show all posts

February Round Up: The Going On's and Happenings on United Cakedom

This month started out with flapjacks! I added some chocolate covered cranberries I had picked up at Home Sense. I love that store. It’s dangerous every time I go in there because I always come out with something. They have you backed into a corner because if you find something you like, the chances of them being there when you go back can be slim to none!

Then Sainsbury’s set me their panna cotta mix to try out. I decided to infuse the milk and double cream with black pepper and topped it with caramelized peaches and a drizzle of caramel sauce. It was delicious and inspired by an ice cream I had at an innocent (smoothie) event I attended a couple years ago.

For Valentine’s Day I made a no-bake Chocolate Cherry Tart! It was rich and delicious… one thin slice is all anyone could manage in one sitting. So no one had to worry about pits I used a Cherry Pitter from OXO Good Grips that they sent me to use.

I also received a copy of Deliciously Decorated by Charlotte White to review. The book is full of great decorating tips and tricks! The Giacomo Casanova: Venetian Romance design was my inspiration for these cupcakes:

Other things that inspire me are books!! This month I made Silky’s Pop Cakes inspired by The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton. My girls really enjoyed eating something they read about from the book we've been reading before bed.

Speaking of my girls my littlest one turned 5 in the middle of the month and she requested a turquoise butterfly cake. I did my best and she was happy with the result!

February is full of birthdays including my friend Cathy who turned 30! She has a love of Lucky Charms and so as a special birthday treat I made her Lucky Charm Bark! I think she was pretty happy with it! I tried some too and it was pretty tasty, but mostly I loved the colors!

And last but not least I wrote my first Five on Friday in months! I hope to be better at keeping it up and it becomes a regular thing. I brought it back with five pans and tools that I bought, but have yet to use! I get all these great ideas and I buy things I NEED to make said great idea. However, things don’t always go to plan! Does this happen to you too?

That’s all for February!! March is going to be a bit book heavy as I've been doing a lot of reading! There are reviews and cake and brownies and much more!

Black Pepper Panna Cotta with Caramelized Peaches & Caramel Drizzle {product review}

After you read the title you may think I am crazy. Perhaps I am, but that is neither here nor there.

A couple years ago I went to a taste event hosted by the Innocent Smoothie peoples and they served us pepper ice cream with canned peach slices and caramel sauce.

It really didn't sound appealing to me, however I try everything once. It was good. It was unbelievably good. The combination just worked and I was thoroughly impressed.

I swore I would attempt it at home, but wasn't really sure a whole batch of pepper ice cream would go down well in my family where half of us are little people who only like strawberry ice cream. So, I hadn't recreated it at home.

Then when I had the opportunity to try Sainsbury’s Panna Cotta Mix, the whole pepper/peach/caramel combo just felt right. I did and I was not disappointed. It was very similar to the pepper ice cream that I was happy with it. The Sainsbury's mix had clear and easy instructions. It makes a simple and easy dessert!

I was also correct as in my girls took one taste and went blech. If you think you may be like my girls and think blech at the pepper in your panna cotta then just make it without and continue you on with the peaches!

Panna Cotta

1 box Sainsbury’s Panna Cotta dessert mix

250ml milk

250ml double cream

10g Black Pepper Corns

Follow the instructions on the box, but while you are heating and stirring the milk and double cream add the peppercorns. Once the mixture is ready sieve out the peppercorns and discard. Pour the panna cotta mix into desired moulds, bowls, or glasses as I used here. Chill for 4 hours or more.

Before serving make the …

Caramelized Peaches

2 fresh peaches, sliced

50g golden caster sugar

¼ tsp sea salt flakes

4 tablespoons caramel sauce

Combine the sugar and salt and coat the peach slices in the mixture. Fry on a dry skillet/frying pan until the sugar starts to turn amber, flipping the peaches through out.

Divide between each glass with the set panna cotta and drizzle the caramel sauce on top. Enjoy!

notes: In association with Sainsbury’s, all opinions are my own for further information please note my contact/policy page. Fresh peaches in this country are just not up to par with the peaches I had in the states growing up, so please use frozen or canned peaches if that suits. Just be sure to pat dry the canned peaches.

Find out what else I tried at the innocent inspires event here!
I have made panna cotta before here!

Mango & Passion fruit Panna Cotta!! (Slimming World)

Earlier in January I said how I was starting to watch what I ate and so far it’s going okay. Slowly, but then isn't that the trick to keeping it off for good?? I have been following Slimming World off and on for a couple years and have a stack of dessert recipes that I have been humming and hawing over. This Mango and Passion fruit Panna Cotta was one that I couldn't get out of my head. It was very yummy. Sauce was a bit tart, so when I make it again I think I would add a syn or too to make it a bit sweeter. Everyone has his or her own tastes so it might be perfect just the way it is!

If you saw my last post, you’ll remember I said I have been a bit lazy when recording my baking adventures. So, like the last post there is only one picture! Sorry! I hope to share more “healthy” or “not-so-bad-for-you” desserts in the future! But for now…. enjoy!

Mango & Passion Fruit Panna Cotta

4 sheets leaf gelatine

200ml skimmed milk

2 tbsp artificial sweetener

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 x 175g pots Mullerlight Mango & Passion fruit yogurt

4 passion fruits

Syns per serving: All Choices 1

Put the gelatine in a bowl and just cover it with cold water. Leave for 10-12 minutes to soften. Meanwhile put the milk and 1 tbsp of the sweetener in a heavy-bottomed pan over a medium heat. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, remove from the heat and set aside. Squeeze the water from the gelatine, and then stir into the milk until dissolved. Add the vanilla extract and stir well. Leave to cool.
Put the yogurt into a large bowl and gradually whisk in the milk mixture until well combined. Pour the mixture into 4 ramekins or individual pudding basins, cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for 6-8 hours (overnight) or until set.
The sauce doesn't have to be made immediately – if the panna cotta is for after dinner, make the sauce before you make dinner so it’s ready, as you will need some time to cool.
To make the sauce, halve the passion fruits, scoop out the seeds and pulp and put in a pan. Add 100ml water and the remaining sweetener. Cook over a low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat and then leave to cool.
When ready to serve, slide a palette knife around the edge of each ramekin or pudding basin and dip very briefly in hot water to loosen each panna cotta. I didn't have to dip mine I just slide a knife around the edges and they slide right out. Tip each on a dessert dish and spoon over the passion fruit sauce. Decorate with a few mint leaves and serve! I choose to leave the mint leaves off.