Irish Cream Pannacotta with Chocolate Coffee Beans
I created this recipe especially for my mother, Alba. She absolutely loved Irish cream liqueur. Growing up, she would often whip up a traditional vanilla panna cotta for us all on a weekend as a special treat
If you prefer it the traditional way, substitute the liqueur for 100ml more milk and add a vanilla pod and its seeds when cooking the cream... but I’m pretty sure, once you try this dish, you will never go back!
You will need four 175ml moulds, or you can use ramekins or even cleaned-out yogurt pots, if you like.
You will need four 175ml moulds, or you can use ramekins or even cleaned-out yogurt pots, if you like.
Serves
4
Ingredients
- 100ml whole milk
- 300ml double cream
- 100ml Irish cream liqueur
- 50g caster sugar
- 2 gelatine leaves, or enough to set 400ml of liquid (check the instructions on the packet)
- Cocoa powder, to dust (optional)
- 8 chocolate-coated coffee beans
Method
- Pour the milk, cream, liqueur and sugar into a small saucepan and warm gently over a low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves and the cream starts to lightly bubble at the sides of the saucepan, about six minutes. Do not boil the milk. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, place the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for five minutes. Squeeze them dry, then stir the gelatine leaves into the cream mixture until completely dissolved.
- Divide the mixture between 4 x 175ml moulds, cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least five hours.
- To serve, dust four plates with a little cocoa powder, or use a dark plate so the panna cotta will stand out. Dip the moulds into warm water for 20 seconds (make sure you don’t get any of the water in the panna cottas), then carefully turn out on to the prepared plates. Place two chocolate-coated coffee beans on top of each and serve.
Gino’s Italian Family Adventure by Gino D’Acampo (Bloomsbury Publishing, £22) is out now. Photography by Haarala Hamilton
