Lemon & Cardamom Panna Cotta with Blueberry Compote
Serves: 4 - 6 people
Takes: Over 1 hour
I love to make this when I have guests coming round for dinner as I can make it in advance leaving me more time to spend with them. Serve with a Saffron Shortbread for a little extra indulgence.
Ingredients
For the Lemon & Cardamom Panna Cotta:
3 gelatine leaves
285ml double cream
100ml semi skimmed milk
60g caster sugar
6 green cardamom pods, roughly bashed in a pestle and mortar
1 vanilla pod
juice & zest of 1 lemon
For the Blueberry Compote:
100g blueberries
juice of 1 orange
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1½ tablespoons sugar, to taste
Method
Start by making the Lemon & Cardamom Panna Cotta. Dissolve the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes.
In a heavy base pan gently heat the cream, milk, sugar and crushed green cardamom pods.
Slit the vanilla pod lengthways down the middle leaving 1 cm attached at one end. With the back of the knife carefully scrape out the seeds. Add to the pan with the pod.
Squeeze in the lemon juice and zest, and stir occasionally, allowing it to come to the boil before removing from the heat.
Squeeze out any excess water from the gelatine leaves before adding them to the boiling cream mixture. Stir well until all the gelatine has been dissolved.
Pass the liquid through a fine sieve and pour into the panna cotta moulds or ramekins.
Lay on a baking tray and allow to cool before transferring them to the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours.
In the meantime make the Blueberry Compote by adding all the ingredients into a pan and gently heating for 10 - 15 minutes or until the blueberries have almost broken down and the sugar has dissolved. It should be thick and syrupy.
Pass the compote through a fine sieve reserving the textured blueberries for garnish.
Let the compote cool before serving with the chilled panna cottas and some Saffron Shortbread.
