[RADIO] Easy panna cotta dessert

It was Italian week last week on my BBC Three Counties Radio show, with special guest Katie Caldesi.

Getting into the Italian spirit, I made one of Archie’s favourite desserts, this easy Panna Cotta. It basically means “cooked cream” in Italian and for a toddler, what is not to like in a big wobbly mass of cream, sugar and vanilla, with some syrupy raspberries spooned over the top? And in spite its exotic sounding name, there are few easier desserts to make than this one.

You can listen to the recording of me cooking it in my kitchen right here:

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You can also download the other 5 recipes from the show right here from the BBC Website (scroll to the foot of the programme’s page).

Preparation time 10 minutes, plus 4 hours chilling
Cooking time 5 minutes

Makes 4

300ml double cream
300ml full-fat milk
4 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp powdered gelatine
3 tbsp water

For the syrup:
150g raspberries
100g caster sugar
50ml water

1. In a bowl, mix the gelatine powder and 3 tbsp water, leave it to stand for 5 minutes.
2. Mix together the cream, milk and sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer very gently for 1 minute, then take it off the heat and leave to cool down for a few minutes.
3. Pour the cream mixture over the gelatine and mix well, so that all the gelatine is dissolved.
4. Lightly oil four glass moulds or ramekins with a flavourless oil such as vegetable oil and fill the ramekins to the top with the cream mixture. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
5. About 20 minutes before serving the panna cotta, bring the caster sugar and water to the boil and simmer for a minute. Take it off the heat, leave to cool for about 5 minutes, then stir in the raspberries and leave to rest.
6. To serve the panna cotta, dip each ramekin carefully in a bowl of hot water for about 15 seconds, just to loosen the cream then turn the ramekin upside down on a plate, give it a really good jiggle to release the panna cotta and drizzle some raspberries and syrup over and around it. Serve immediately.