This is one of those things that I make once every blue moon and each time I ask myself “whyyy?” :):)
Love, love, love all kinds of tarts and my favourite creamy pudding is panna cotta. So this is a “two birds with one stone” situation. And believe it or not it’s very easy to put together. All you need is a beautiful buttery sweet crust & a dreamy panna cotta & whatever fruit you have on hand to garnish it. The final result is so pretty and inviting that it is perfect for dinner parties.
Panna Cotta is a very popular Italian dessert made with cream, a little milk, sugar and gelatine, it can be flavoured with spices, fruits etc. and made in a million different ways.
I find gelatine to be a tricky subject as there are many types with different strengths, so I suggest you follow the instructions on the package. If you are not happy to use animal based gelatine you could try agar agar.
This time I made my tarts two ways; I garnished one with rhubarb that I’d poached in red wine & the other one with fresh strawberries. You could even make a little fruit coulis to serve it with.
- SWEET SHORTCRUST PASTRY (Adapted from Gordon Ramsay)
- 250 gr flour
- 150 gr butter (room temp)
- 75 gr powdered sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tea spoon vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
- .
- PANNA COTTA
- 400 ml heavy cream
- 100 ml milk
- 50 gr sugar
- 10 gr leaf gelatine (adjust amount accordingly)
- 1 vanilla bean or 2 ts vanilla extract
- To prepare the pastry beat butter and powdered sugar in your stand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add in the egg yolks, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt and continue beating for two minutes.
- Add the flour and mix on the lowest speed just until the flour disappears.
- Toss it on a piece of plastic wrap and bring it together, forming a disk with the help of the plastic as the dough is very soft. No kneading ! Wrap and put in the fridge for a couple of hours.
- Prepare your gelatine for the panna cotta following the instructions on the packaging. Some will need to be bloomed in warm and others in ice cold water. The leaf gelatine I use needs to be softened in ice cold water for 15 minutes.
- In a small sauce pan mix cream, milk, sugar and the vanilla seeds or the extract and very gently bring to boil. I suggest you don't leave it unattended as it only takes a millisecond to boil over and curdle.
- Add in your prepared gelatine off the heat and mix well (if you are using leaf gelatine don't forget to squeeze excess water first)
- Leave to cool at room temperature.
- With about a pound of pastry you have (450 gr.) you can make a round tart of 10 inches (25 cm.) or 8 tartlets of 4 inches (10 cm.) each. Butter and flour your tart tin and place a piece of baking parchment on the base.
- Roll dough between two parchment paper to a thickness of about ⅛ of an inch (3-4 mm.) Gently place on the tart tin and trim the excess. Rest in the fridge for 30 mins. or 15 mins. in the freezer.
- Preheat oven to 170 C (340 F)
- Line the tart tin with parchment paper and fill with baking beans and blind bake for 25 mins. Remove beans and paper and bake for a further 10-15 mins until golden (add an extra 5 mins for a big tart)
- Let cool in the tin, once completely cool fill with panna cotta and put in the fridge to set.
- Once the panna cotta is set serve with the fruit of your coice.
You can keep the pastry in the fridge for 3 days or freeze for up to two months.
If you have left over panna cotta, divide between little glasses.