Green Tea and Coconut Sugar Panna Cotta with Dark Chocolate Shavings

, from Issue #60. September, 2015
Photography by Kelly Gibney.
Green Tea and Coconut Sugar Panna Cotta with Dark Chocolate Shavings

Delicate and rich panna cotta is a beautiful way to finish a meal. This simple infusion of green tea and vanilla bean is both elegant and simple to make.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

300mls single cream
150mls full fat milk (or use coconut milk for a flavour twist)
5 green tea teabags
seeds from 1 vanilla pod or 1 teaspoon good quality vanilla essence
¼ cup coconut sugar
1½ sheets or 3 grams gold leaf gelatin (I used Equagold brand)

To serve
dark chocolate 

METHOD

Soak the gelatin leaves in a bowl of cold water for 10-15 minutes. 

Place the cream, milk, teabags and vanilla in a saucepan and heat gently for 5 minutes until almost at a boil. Remove from the heat and add the sugar. Stir until well combined. Remove the teabags, squeezing gently to extract as much flavour as possible.

Squeeze all the liquid from the soaked gelatin leaves and whisk into the panna cotta mixture.

Divide the liquid between four small glasses, tea cups or panna cotta moulds. Place in the fridge to set for at least four hours.

To serve: You can either enjoy straight from the dish or dip the end of the moulds gently into hot water to loosen the dessert and tip it onto a plate.

Roughly chop the dark chocolate and sprinkle over the plated panna cotta just prior to serving. 

Cook’s Tip: Leftover panna cotta will keep (covered) in the fridge for two days.