The rule of thumb when it comes to designing a menu for entertaining is to ensure no course takes more than 20 minutes immediate prep time; any more and you’ll find yourself bonding with the stove top, rather than your fabulous guests!
This impressive, summer-ready, and completely delicious panna cotta recipe from the Head Chef of Margan Restaurant, Michael Robinson, is the perfect solution — it can all be made the day before and easily plated up in minutes.
Orange Panna Cotta with Strawberries, Baby Meringues and Lemon Granita Recipe
The Panna Cotta
Ingredients
450 ml cream
100 ml milk
65 g castor
1 teaspoon of orange zest
2 gelatine leaves
Directions
- Heat milk, castor and zest to 90 degree- (don’t boil) and remove
- Soften gelatine in ice cold water and whisk into milk mix
- Whisk in cream and strain the mixture.
- Pour into 4 individual serving glasses and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
The Granita
Ingredients
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6 lemons, juiced and strained)
1 ½ teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
Pinch of salt
Directions
- Dissolve the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Remove from the heat, add the salt and cool to room temperature.
- Stir in the lemon juice and zest to the sugar syrup and pour into a large metal pan/cake tin.
- Freeze for 30-60 minutes, or until ice crystals form around the edges.
- Remove and stir the ice crystals into the center of the pan and return to the freezer.
- Repeat every 30 minutes, or until all the liquid is crystallized but not frozen solid, about 3 hours.
- Serve at once or if making in advance you will need to thaw to soften a little and scrape it with a fork to break up the ice crystals.
Meringue
Ingredients
100g Egg whites
70g Icing sugar
Directions
- Whisk egg whites on high speed until firm peaks form.
- Gradually add the icing sugar, whisking until completely incorporated and peaks hold their shape.
- Spoon the mix into piping bags and with a small star fitting pipe meringue onto a lined baking tray.
- Bake for 3 hours in a slow oven at 90 c.
To Assemble
Ingredients
1 Cup washed and hulled strawberries.
Directions
- Divide the strawberries into four and place on top of each panna cotta.
- Arrange star meringues on top of the strawberries and ensure some are seen from the sides of the glass.
- Top with the shaved granita and serve immediately.
Rescu. Recommends: Serve with a glass of chilled Margan Botrytis Semillon – summer perfection!
