A perfect panna cotta should be softly set and wobbly. In order to achieve this the gelatine quantity needs to be a good bit lower than it would be to set, say, a jelly. I haven’t been specific about the number of gelatine leaves here because different brands vary. But if you use the number of leaves stated on your pack to set 400ml of liquid (as opposed to the 700ml or so in this recipe), then you’ll be spot on. And your wibbly wobbly, creamy panna cotta will be perfectly offset by tangy raspberries and shortbread.
Serves 4–6
For the panna cotta
500ml double cream
150ml whole milk
100g good-quality white chocolate, broken into pieces
30g caster sugar
Gelatine leaves, enough to set 400ml liquid (see above)
To serve
400g raspberries
150–200g shortbread (here)
A little caster sugar (optional)
For the panna cotta, heat the cream and milk in a pan over a medium heat until the mixture is hot, but not quite boiling. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the chocolate and sugar until melted and the mixture is well combined.
Meanwhile, calculate how many gelatine leaves you need to set 400ml liquid. Put them in a shallow bowl of cold water to soak for a few minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat. Squeeze the gelatine leaves to remove excess water, then add them to the panna cotta mixture and stir until melted. Cover the surface closely with cling film or greaseproof paper to prevent a skin forming and set aside to cool.
Give the cooled panna cotta mixture a good stir, then pour into ramekins or moulds. Chill in the fridge for 6–8 hours, or until set.
To serve, dip each mould very briefly in warm water to loosen the panna cotta, then carefully turn out on to a plate. Serve with the raspberries and shortbread. You can either scatter whole fresh raspberries around the panna cotta, or crush the berries lightly with a little caster sugar and dab blobs around the plate.
SWAPS All kinds of tart fruits work here: the blackcurrants here; the gooseberries here; the rhubarb compote here. Or replace the raspberries with strawberries that have been sliced and macerated in orange juice and a little sugar.