Panna cotta

  I often make the mistake of watching cooking shows in the evening. PBS's "Create" channel is my go-to spot (I don't have cable). Lidia Bastianich recently made an easy Panna cotta and that got me interested in giving it a try. It looked as elegant as it was simple.

 Though I did not make Lidia's recipe  (here), I found a simpler one at All Recipes (here) and decided to start with that.

 Though Panna cotta is described as an "Italian custard", I wouldn't call it that. There's no eggs and in my mind a custard requires them. It's not really a pudding, either. I've seen it described as "cooked cream" and that seems more apt.

 It's a very delicate dessert. How is that possible with the preponderance of heavy cream? After Tom's first taste he said the consistency reminded him a bit of a vanilla-flavored  butter. Well, whatever it is, it's delicious ... and very easy.

 Usually I don't follow recipes but I did this time, probably because I had never made it before  and thought that the best route until I felt more confident. You simply boil the heavy cream and sugar, making sure the sugar is well dissolved. This bears watching because it will quickly rise in the pan and overflow if you're not careful.

As soon as this boils, you add the gelatin and milk combination (I used regular Vitamin D milk, not skim) and cook for an additional minute. That's it.

 Tom's ramekins are small - too small - but I filled the seven he had and then used up the rest in two similar bowls. This is left to cool on a counter before covering the tops with plastic wrap and refrigerating.

 Note: the hot liquid - even after it cools to room temperature - is quite liquid and seems not to be setting. It does, though, once refrigerated. It is never gelatin-like but rather retains a creamy, soft consistency. It'll hold on to a spoon like a thick yogurt.

 I think this is best served with a topping of berries. We bought Peru-grown blueberries this week and they were perfect. A drizzle of many sauces (caramel comes to mind) or even preserves (strawberry would work wonderfully) adds some interest. But I ate the first ramekin plain and loved the taste.

 This is a dessert I'll return to. It couldn't be easier (though it takes hours of time because of the refrigeration requirement). I worry a bit about the calories. But can what I not know hurt me?

Later: I made a Peppermint Panna Cotta yesterday (12/11/21) and will probably experiment with other flavors as well. Mocha would be a good choice (perhaps just instant coffee; or mixed with a little hot chocolate flavoring?). I'm also interested in trying lemon and perhaps key lime.

 I used about a teaspoon of peppermint flavoring and a touch of red food coloring. Since it's just two weeks until Christmas, I thought this was an interesting idea for the holidays.