Panna cotta is a very popular Italian dessert and loved by dessert makers because it can be infused with different kinds of fruits. The versatility of the dish allows one to be creative with the extra ingredients to include on it. We made this uniquely our own by infusing this traditional dessert with the delicate flavour of basil. With our eyes always on what’s refreshing and healthy, we go with the “basil” option. The local basil called rehan has been the inspiration for this creation. After eating a good meal, what many people don’t know is that rehan is scientifically proven to be a very good digestive so by ending the meal with this delicious and cool-to-the-eye dessert, we’re sending them off at a much better state. As a tip, if you are the health-conscious kind, instead of choosing any gelatin, go for agar agar which is more organic. Other gelatins are usually infused with chemicals so to keep the dessert healthy, think and do organic.
Preparation time:10 minutes, plus infusing and setting
Cooking time:10 minutes
SERVES: 6
Ingredients
60 gms fresh basil
300 ml whole milk
40 g caster sugar
3 sheets leaf of Agar Agar
300 ml double cream
METHOD
Roughly chop 40 g of basil, including stalks. Put the milk in a saucepan with the sugar and chopped basil and bring to a boil.
Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 15 minutes. Soak the agar-agar leaves in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes to soften.
Return the milk to the boil and strain through a fine sieve into a large jug, pressing the basil pulp with the back of a spoon to squeeze out the juices. Lift the agar agar residues out of the water and lower into the hot milk. Stir until dissolved.
Stir in the cream then pour into 6 glass or 100ml dariole moulds. Chill for at least 6 hours or until set.
Garnish as shown in the picture.
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