February 2011 Daring Bakers’ Challenge # 49: Panna Cotta with Raspberry Gelée and Nestle Florentine Cookies

Simple dessert that many people love ^^, I must say that, because Panna Cotta is such an easy thing to make. You don't need any special equipment, just a saucepan and a refrigerator (I believe that we have it, haha).

 Actually I felt a bit surprised after seeing this dessert as a month challenge, but I didn't mean that I don't think it's good enough, it's a bit of relieved. I think I have too much of sweetness for the month of "LOVE".
So, it's good to have a simply and delicious dessert to enjoy and another reason that makes me feel good is I never made Florentine Cookies before. 
The Panna Cotta is very easy to make, and you can add a lot of flavor into this simple dessert, like make a coffee or chocolate Panna Cotta. Or make a combination like me I love to have a sweet and soft flavor Panna Cotta with something sour, so I make Raspberry Gelée to pair with it. This recipe for Gelée is great, because you can use any kind of fruit that you like (I think strawberry is good too). 
Because I never bake this kind of cookie before I didn't know how it should be like. I find it very chewy, but my sister love it. You can just bake it, or do a little work like cut them into uniform size like me ^^
This Panna Cotta recipe is very good, I put it in a small glass, that I can finish it in a minutes, the white chocolate that I put on top of the Panna Cotta is not for decoration only, it makes the dessert tasted good too.
I think you have all the ingredients for this dessert, and a bit of space in the fridge, haha, so just boil and stir a bit and you will have a great dessert for tomorrow.


The February 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mallory from A Sofa in the Kitchen. She chose to challenge everyone to make Panna Cotta from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe and Nestle Florentine Cookies.

Panna Cotta with Raspberry Gelée and Nestle Florentine Cookies

Serves 12 (small glass)

Giada's Vanilla Panna Cotta

Ingredients 

1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
1 tablespoon (one packet) (15 ml) (7 gm) (¼ oz) unflavored powdered gelatin
3 cups (720 ml) whipping cream (30+% butterfat)
1/3 cup (80 ml) honey
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (15 gm) (½ oz) granulated sugar
pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Pour the milk into a bowl or pot and sprinkle gelatin evenly and thinly over the milk (make sure the bowl/pot is cold by placing the bowl/pot in the refrigerator for a few minutes before you start making the Panna Cotta). Let stand for 5 minutes to soften the gelatin.

2. Pour the milk into the saucepan/pot and place over medium heat on the stove. Heat this mixture until it is hot, but not boiling, about five minutes. (I whisk it a few times at this stage).

3. Next, add the cream, honey, sugar, and pinch of salt. Making sure the mixture doesn't boil, continue to heat and stir occasionally until the sugar and honey have dissolved 5-7 minutes.

4. Remove from heat, allow it to sit for a few minutes to cool slightly. Then pour into the glass or ramekin.

5. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Add garnishes and serve.

Fruit Gelée

Recipe by Mallory

Ingredients:
1 cup (240 ml) (230 gm) (8 oz) fruit (strawberries, raspberries, mango, blackberry, etc.)
*Note: Certain fruits interact with gelatin and stop it gelling like pineapple and kiwi etc.
3 tablespoons (45 ml) water
1/4 cup (60 ml) (60 gm) (2 oz) granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons (7½ ml) (3½ gm) (1/8 oz) unflavored powdered gelatin

Directions:

1. Sprinkle gelatin over water.

2. Place fruit and sugar in a small saucepan and simmer until sugar has dissolved. Now mix the gelatin into the strawberry mixture and stir until gelatin has dissolved.

3. Remove from heat and allow to cool (close to room temp, again, if you're planning on layering on pouring on top of your Panna Cotta, a hot mixture will also heat up your chilled Panna Cotta).

Nestle Florentine Cookies

Recipe from the cookbook “Nestle Classic Recipes”, and their website.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup (160 ml) (150 gm) (5.3 oz) unsalted butter
2 cups (480 ml) (160 gm) (5 2/3 oz) quick oats
1 cup (240 ml) (230 gm) (8 oz) granulated sugar
2/3 cup (160 ml) (95 gm) (3⅓ oz) plain (all purpose) flour
1/4 cup (60 ml) dark corn syrup (I use honey)
1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1½ cups (360 ml) (250 gm) (9 oz) dark or milk chocolate
Directions:
Preheat oven to moderately hot 375°F (190°C) (gas mark 5). Prepare your baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper.

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan, then remove from the heat.

2. To the melted butter add oats, sugar, flour, corn syrup, milk, vanilla, and salt. Mix well. Drop a tablespoon full, three inches (75 mm) apart, onto your prepared baking sheet. Flatten slightly with the back of your tablespoon, or use a spatula.

   

3. Bake in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes, until cookies are golden brown. Cool completely on the baking sheets. (dailydelicious note: If you want your cookies to be lovely and uniform, cut it with round cookie cutter while they're still warm and soft).

4. While the cookies are cooling melt your chocolate until smooth either in the microwave (1 1/2 minutes), or stovetop (in a double boiler, or a bowl that fits atop a saucepan filled with a bit of water, being sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl).

5.Peel the cookies from the silpat or parchment and place face down on a wire rack set over a sheet of wax/parchment paper (to keep counters clean).

6.Spread a tablespoon of chocolate on the bottom/flat side of your cookie, sandwiching another (flat end) cookie atop the chocolate.

This recipe will make about 2 1/2 - 3 dozen sandwiched Florentine cookies. You can also choose not to sandwich yours, in which case, drizzle the tops with chocolate (over your wax paper).

February 2011 Daring Bakers’ Challenge # 49: 

Panna Cotta with Raspberry Gelée and Nestle Florentine Cookies