I love Pacific Northwest rosehips. They are abundant and make a delicious edition to savoury and sweet products. This dish makes use of the sweet side of the rose and produces a shimmering dessert that is very easy to make. Gelatin produces the best results but agar-agar is a more appropriate choice if you have vegetarians in the house. Be sure to dissolve the agar-agar fully in the milk before proceeding with the recipe.
1 cup (250 mL) milk
1 Tbsp (15 mL) powdered gelatin (or 2 tsp [10 mL] agar-agar powder)
2 cups (500 mL) whipping cream
1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp [5 mL] vanilla extract)
¼ cup (60 mL) rosehip jelly
1 Tbsp (15 mL) honey
fresh fruit or berries, for serving
In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the milk and gelatin. Warm the milk and stir to dissolve the gelatin. Set the mixture aside for 5 minutes to steep.
In a large saucepan over high heat, add the whipping cream, vanilla, rosehip jelly, and honey. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat immediately, and add the gelatin mixture. Stir gently to mix. Test for sweetness, adding more honey to taste (if desired). Strain the mixture into a bowl, removing the vanilla bean.
Ladle the mixture into glass custard dishes that have been rubbed with a little oil (later helps to release the finished product). Place on a tray and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours (overnight is better).
Place the ramekins in warm water to loosen their contents, then invert onto serving plates. The panna cotta should slip from the glass. Give a gentle shake to release the vacuum (if needed) or dip back into the hot water to slightly melt the outer edge. Serve with fresh fruit or berries.
SERVES 4–6