LEMON PANNA COTTA
At first glance, panna cotta may feel a bit intimidating to make, but at its core, it’s basically an Italian take on flavored milk jello served in elegant, individual portions. By using canned coconut milk and lemon, this dairy free version naturally separates creating two layers that taste like crustless lemon meringue pie.
Serves 2-4.
YOU WILL NEED
1 can coconut milk (1 ½ cups)
1 tablespoon gelatin powder or agar agar powder (vegan)
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Zest and juice from 2 lemons
TO MAKE
Whisk together the coconut milk in a medium bowl. Pour the whisked milk into a measuring cup. Pour ¼ cup of the whisked coconut milk back into the same bowl and whisk in the gelatin powder. Set aside to let the gelatin bloom.
In a saucepan set over medium high heat, pour in the remaining 1 ¼ cups coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract and salt. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally. Once the coconut milk mixture is foamy, turn off the heat. Whisk in the lemon zest and juice. Pour the coconut milk mixture through a fine mesh sieve into the bowl of bloomed gelatin, whisking until combined. Evenly divide the panna cotta mixture into 2 large or 4 small, greased ramekins. Refrigerate until the panna cotta have set and jiggle when shaken but are no longer liquid, about 3 hours.
Serve the panna cotta in the ramekins or invert them on a serving plate using the following method. Place each ramekin in a bowl of hot water for about 30 seconds and use a butter knife to loosen the edges of the panna cotta. Place a serving plate on top of the ramekin and flip them over to release the panna cotta onto the plate. Serve with a bit of fresh thyme or basil, or place in the refrigerator covered for up to 3 days. The longer these sit in the refrigerator, the firmer they will become.