PANNA COTTA | CHERRY AND RASPBERRY COMPOTE | CASHEW CRUMBLE | THE BEST ITALIAN DESSERT

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: milk + cornstarch

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess

vanilla bean

🥗Healthier: vanilla extract

💰Cheaper: vanilla essence

Vanilla extract is easier to find and less expensive.

fruit puree

🥗Healthier: fresh fruit

💰Cheaper: canned fruit

Fresh fruit provides natural sweetness and flavor.

Pour 500ml cream into a big bowl.

Cut basil leaves thinly and soak them in the cream, covered with cling film, preferably overnight.

The next day, take the basil cream out of the fridge.

Pour another 500ml cream into a saucepan with 500ml milk and 100g sugar, and stir well.

Soak 3 sheets of gelatin in ice-cold water for a few minutes.

Put the saucepan on medium heat and bring it to a boil.

Squeeze the water off the gelatin sheets and add them to the hot cream off the heat, stirring until dissolved.

Pour the hot cream back into the cold basil cream and mix well.

Strain the mixture to remove the basil leaves, squeezing them to extract all flavors.

Get a nice mold (copper ones are suggested) for the panna cotta.

Optionally, use a blowtorch to remove bubbles from the mixture.

Put the panna cotta in the fridge to set for at least 5 hours or overnight.

For the raspberry and cherry compote, cut the cherries and remove the stones.

Put cherries and raspberries in a pan with lime juice, lime zest, some water, and sugar.

Stir the mixture and cook on medium heat for about 2 minutes until it thickens and the fruit softens.

Let the compote cool completely before serving.

Chop cashew nuts into chunks and set aside for the crumble.

In a mixing bowl, combine softened butter, salt, brown sugar, and white sugar and cream together.

Add chopped cashews and mix, then add flour and corn flour and mix until a soft dough forms.

Put the dough on parchment paper, cover it, and freeze for half an hour until hard enough to handle.

Dust the dough with flour, cut it into big pieces, and place on a tray lined with parchment paper.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 12 minutes, using a fork to separate the pieces.

Let the crumble cool down before serving.

Demould the panna cotta and garnish with fresh fruits and basil leaves, serving the toppings on the side.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens