Saltine Panna Cotta Recipes

LEMON PANNA COTTA

Steps:

• Place lemon juice in a small bowl and sprinkle the unflavored gelatin over it. Let stand for about 15 minutes until gelatin softens.
• Combine heavy cream, sugar, and 2 tablespoons lemon zest in a saucepan over medium-low heat; bring to a simmer. Whisk in gelatin mixture until dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in orange liqueur.
• Strain the cream mixture into a medium bowl and divide evenly among small glass bowls or ramekins.
• Place uncovered panna cottas into the refrigerator until set, at least 4 hours. If time permits, cover the bowls with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
• Garnish with remaining lemon zest before serving.

CEREAL-MILK PANNA COTTA WITH CARAMELIZED CORN FLAKE CRUNCH

Steps:

• To make panna cotta, heat oven to 300 degrees. Spread cereal on a baking sheet and bake until toasty, about 12 minutes. While still warm, transfer to large bowl or container and add milk and cream. Stir to combine and let steep 45 minutes. (Dessert will get too starchy if it steeps longer.)
• Strain into a microwave-safe bowl or a saucepan, pressing to extract liquid. (Discard soggy cereal or eat it.) Add salt and brown sugar, and heat just until milk is hot enough to dissolve sugar, watching carefully. Stir gently to dissolve sugar. Ladle 1/4 cup milk mixture into a small bowl and mix in gelatin. Set aside 5 minutes, then whisk soaked gelatin back into remaining milk mixture.
• Divide mixture among 8 ramekins or silicone molds. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. If using ramekins, cover and reserve until ready to serve. If using molds, freeze 1 hour and pop out onto wax paper (not parchment), then refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Meanwhile, make topping, if you like: heat oven to 275 degrees. Put 3/4 cup cereal in a large bowl and crush lightly with your hands. In a small bowl, stir together milk powder, sugar and salt. Sprinkle mixture over crushed flakes and add melted butter. Toss to coat cereal evenly. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or a nonstick baking mat) and bake 20 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside to cool. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container up to 1 week.
• When ready, serve cold panna cottas in ramekins or turn out onto plates. Sprinkle generously with corn flake topping.

PANNA COTTA

Steps:

• Pour milk into a small bowl, and stir in the gelatin powder. Set aside.
• In a saucepan, stir together the heavy cream and sugar, and set over medium heat. Bring to a full boil, watching carefully, as the cream will quickly rise to the top of the pan. Pour the gelatin and milk into the cream, stirring until completely dissolved. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and pour into six individual ramekin dishes.
• Cool the ramekins uncovered at room temperature. When cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight before serving.

COCONUT PANNA COTTA WITH TROPICAL FRUIT

Steps:

• Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over 3 tablespoons of cool water in a small bowl. Set aside to soften.
• In a medium saucepan, heat the coconut cream and coconut milk over medium heat until the sides begin to bubble. Lower the heat and whisk in the softened gelatin, stirring to make sure it is completely dissolved.
• Fill a large bowl with cold water. Strain the coconut mixture into a bowl that will fit easily into the bowl of water. Set into the bowl of water to cool, stirring every few minutes with a rubber spatula until the mixture starts to thicken. If the mixture starts to set, remove it immediately.
• Remove the bowl of coconut mixture from the bowl of water. Empty out the water and wipe the bowl dry. In the dry bowl, stir the cream and confectioners' sugar together until the sugar is dissolved. Stir into the coconut mixture. Divide the coconut mixture evenly among 6 (7 to 8-ounce) custard cups or ramekins. Chill until firm, at least 4 hours.
• To serve, run a knife around the inside edge of the molds and invert each panna cotta onto a serving plate. Spoon some of the diced fruit over each, allowing the fruit to spill onto the plate.

SALTINE PANNA COTTA

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 250°F.
• Put the saltines on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes to toast them lightly. Cool completely.
• Transfer the saltines to a blender, pour in the milk, and blend on high for about 20 seconds. Immediately strain the saltine milk through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, using your hand or the back of a ladle to wring all the milk out of the saltines. Do not force any mushy saltines through the sieve. (We compost the mush.)
• Whisk in the heavy cream, sugar, salt, and baking soda until fully dissolved.
• Bloom the gelatin (see page 29).
• Pour the saltine mixture into a medium saucepan and heat until warm to the touch. Remove from the heat, add the bloomed gelatin, and whisk until dissolved.
• Lightly Pam-spray 4 (2-ounce) circular molds. We use silicone molds for ease of removal once the panna cottas are set. Put the molds on a flat, transportable surface. Pour the saltine panna cotta base into the molds and transfer to the freezer to set for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
• Remove the panna cottas from their molds by gently popping them out or by plunging the bases of the molds into warm water for 3 seconds, then tapping them upside down on the counter. Stored in an airtight container, the panna cottas will keep in the freezer for 1 month. Thaw before serving, either overnight in the fridge or for 3 hours at room temperature.
• notes
• Toasting the saltines deepens the flavor of the steeped milk.
• Powdered gelatin can be substituted for the sheet gelatin: use 3/4 teaspoon.