New Recipe for Summer!

Unfortunately I don't have a photo of the dessert but this is what it should look like

(Photo used courtesy of Lili at PikeletandPie)

I thought I would share with you one of my recipes for a great Summertime dessert - Lychee Jelly and Coconut, Lime & Ginger Pannacotta. Mum and I created this recipe about 5 years ago when we designed a degustation menu for Lauralla Grapevine Restaurant up in Mudgee.The recipe is quite easy to make and is great for dinner parties. A good pannacotta should be wobbly, yet still hold it's shape, luscious and creamy.

You can substitute the lychee juice for pineapple or whatever juice takes your fancy. Perhaps to make it more Christmasy, you could use Cranberry Juice instead of Lychee and flavour the pannacotta with orange zest, cinnamon and cloves instead of ginger and lime. And don't forget to substitute the coconut cream for normal cream. From memory, the recipe should be enough for 6 serves. Enjoy!!

Lychee Jelly

1/2 cup lychee juice. (juice should be clear)

1/3 cup caster sugar

1 tbl gelatine

2 tbl water

Pannacotta

2 tbl water

2 teas gelatine

1/3 cup sifted icing sugar

3 thinly sliced pieces of ginger

Grated zest of 1 lime.

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

1 cup cream

1 cup coconut cream

To make jelly:

1.   Place water in a bowl and sprinkle over the gelatine. Make sure it is even otherwise you will get a huge hard gob in the middle. Stand until absorbed (should be like a grainy thick sauce)

2.   Lightly grease moulds with vegetable oil or any other non flavoured oil.

3.   In a saucepan over medium heat, heat lychee juice and sugar and stir until dissolved.

4.   Bring to the boil and simmer for 3 mins. Add gelatine mixture and stir for a further 2 mins.

5.   Remove from heat and let it cool slightly for at least 20 mins.

6.   Spray moulds with canola oil. Pour into moulds about a 1/3, halfway.

7.   Put in fridge to set. Should only take an hour or so.

To make pannacotta:

1.   Place water in a bowl and sprinkle over the gelatine. Make sure it is even otherwise you will get a huge hard gob in the middle. Stand until absorbed (should be like a grainy thick sauce)

2.   Place creams, sugar, lime zest, ginger and vanilla bean into saucepan and over medium heat stir occasionally.

3.   Bring cream to boil and stir in gelatine, cooking for a further 1 –2 mins to dissolve the gelatine.

4.   Remove from heat and allow to cool (1 hour) before pouring over set jelly. Make sure to strain the liquid first.

Make sure mixture is cool before pouring into moulds as it will melt the oil needed for easy un-moulding later on. Refridgerate for at least several hours or overnight until set. Unmould and serve. Voila!!