Mini Panna Cotta Bombes

I always look forward to the first of the month, I know there will be a new Daring Baker’s challenge. The February 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mallory from A Sofa in the Kitchen. She chose to challenge everyone to make Panna Cotta from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe and Nestle Florentine Cookies. Not only was this challenge  convivial, but it ended up saving Sydney’s reputation in her super club.

She is apart of a monthly super club with her university buddies. This month she was responsible for the dessert course, but she had two major papers due and a math test, with all of her obligations to her studies she had lost track of time. Instead of panicking, she took the Mini Panna Cotta Bombes and the Almond Tuiles. Poor DF went to grab one from the freezer and there wasn’t any left. I can happily report that Sydney’s friends loved the dessert so much she is responsible for next month desert too!

Framboise Gelée

The funniest coincidence happend, Giada was actually on the food network channel preparing her Rose Panna Cotta while we were designing the layout of her Vanilla Panna Cotta. It was unusual for us to have the television on while baking, let alone for Giada to be preparing a similar dessert to the Daring Baker challenge dessert. We had a good laugh, finalized the layout of the Panna Cotta and decorative Tulle d’ Almond cookies.

Decorative Tulle d’ Almond cookies

Since the middle of January Sydney and I have been trying out some new bakeware; the Panna Cotta challenge was the perfect pastry for using the mini half-sphere pans. We decided on a frozen bombe with a Framboise Gelée on the bottom, and the tuile laying on the top of bombe with a “Heresy’s” kiss would be visually tantalizing.

I just love these pans!

Here is my version of The Daring Baker’s Vanilla Panna Cotta Challenge over two days.

Vanilla Panna Cotta:

Makes 15 mini Panna Cotta Bombes

8 grams (4 sheets) gelatin

400 grams/ 2cups heavy cream

100 grams/ ½ -cup granulated sugar

1/2-teaspoon lavender syrup

5 drops lavender essense

1 vanilla bean

330 grams/ 1½-cups heavy cream

In very cold water bloom gelatin sheets for at least 7 minutes.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine cream, sugar, vanilla bean and zest, and gently warm. Bring the cream mixture to a kiss of a boil. Remove from heat, strain, removing zest and vanilla pod (add the seeds), lavender syrup, lavender essence and stir in gelatin until dissolved.

Temper into heavy cream and strain through a sieve or chinois. Spoon into half-sphere molds and freeze for at least 2 hours or until set.

Framboise Gelée:

300 grams/ 1–cup red raspberry puree

100 grams/1/2-cup sugar

15 grams/1-Tablespoon inverted sugar

1-cup currant jam

14 grams/ 7 sheets gold gelatin leaves

1 1/2 Tablespoon crème de framboise

5 grams/ 1-teaspoon nh pectin

Place the purée and inverted sugar in a small saucepan bring to a boil. Add together the nh pectin and sugar to the boiling purée.

Lower the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, in the meantime, soften the gelatine sheets in very cold water for 5 minutes, remove from heat. Ring the excess water out of the gelatin sheets and add the gelatine into the hot purée and stir.

Pour the cooked raspberry purée, gelatine, the jam, and framboise into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until smooth.

Pour the gel coulis over the panna cotta and freeze, overnight is best.

Tulle d’ Almond cookie:

Adapted from: The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Pastry Arts

180 grams/ 7/8-cup sugar

65 grams/ 5/8-cup finely chopped almond

65 grams/ 1/2-cup of flour

65 grams/1/4-cup warm melted butter

80 grams/ 4 tablespoon fresh orange juice

20 grams/ 2-Tablespons rose water

Orange zest

Combine the sugar almonds and flour in a large mixing bowl, stirring with a wooden spoon to blend. Add the orange juice, rose water, the zest, and melted butter and stir until just combined.

Cover the patter with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 162º C/325ºF. Line a baking sheet with a silpat.

Using a teaspoon ice cream scoop drop the batter onto the silpat living 2-inch/ 5cm apart (they spread). Bake 1 pan at a time, until the cookies are thin and an even golden brown color throughout, rotating pans halfway through baking time, about 10 to 11 minutes. Cool on a baking sheet  till pliable, yet set .With an offset spatula remove about 1/2 of  hot tuiles to a rolling pin so they drape  over it (keeping the other half round), this way they will form a round shape. As soon as cookies have set remove to a cooling rack. They are fragile, so be careful. Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve.

This can be served as a light snack, or placed on top or the bottom of an elegant dessert.

This is a Large Panna Cotta with Red Currant Gelée

Thank You, Mallory

TDFAE4EBVYYS